Paper

Posttraumatic stress in infants and preschoolers with cancer†

  1. Anna Graf1,*,
  2. Eva Bergstraesser2,
  3. Markus A. Landolt3

Article first published online: 22 AUG 2012

DOI: 10.1002/pon.3164

Additional Information

How to Cite

Graf, A., Bergstraesser, E. and Landolt, M. A. (2012), Posttraumatic stress in infants and preschoolers with cancer. Psycho-Oncology. doi: 10.1002/pon.3164

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

  2. 2

    Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

  3. 3

    Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

*Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland. E-mail: anna.graf@kispi.uzh.ch

  1. †

    Presented in part at the 11th European Conference of Traumatic Stress (ECOTS) of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS), Oslo, 15–18 June 2009.

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 22 AUG 2012
  2. Manuscript Revised: 31 JUL 2012
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 31 JUL 2012
  4. Manuscript Received: 9 JAN 2012

Funded by

  • Oncosuisse. Grant Number: Grant No. OCS-01844-2006
  • Claus Cramer Foundation

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Keywords:

  • pediatric oncology;
  • posttraumatic stress;
  • young children;
  • cancer

Abstract

Objective

This study is the first to assess posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in young children with cancer and to examine individual, medical, and parent-related determinants.

Methods

Forty-eight patients with cancer, ages 8–48 months, were assessed in an average of 15 months after their diagnosis, using mothers as informants to complete the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Semi-Structured Interview and Observational Record for Infants and Young Children. Additionally, mothers and the attending pediatric oncologist completed questionnaires on various determinants of child PTSD.

Results

Nine children (18.8%) met the age-appropriate criteria for full PTSD proposed by Scheeringa et al., and 20 children (41.7%) met criteria for partial PTSD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that higher child age at diagnosis (odds ratio = 1.11) and maternal PTSD severity (odds ratio = 1.14) increased the risk of full or partial PTSD in children.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence for a substantial prevalence of PTSD in young children with cancer and identifies important risk factors.

Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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