Emotional, Behavioral, and Physical Health Consequences in Caregivers of Children with Cancer: A Network Analysis Differentiation in Mothers’ and Fathers’ Reactivity

SIMPLE SUMMARY: This is the first study investigating the differences in psychological and physical distress between parents (i.e., mothers and fathers) of oncopediatric children using the Network analysis (NA). We also used the Kellner Symptom Questionnaire (SQ) for the first time with parents of cancer-diagnosed children. SQ data were analyzed using traditional statistical techniques (General Linear Model and ANOVA) and NA, an innovative technique which captures the complex interaction of core and environmental variables shaping the behavioral phenotype. Our concise yet effective measures provided a detailed understanding of distress levels, differentiating between psychological symptoms and well-being indicators for mothers and fathers. ABSTRACT: Background: Pediatric cancer presents mental and physical challenges for patients and their caregivers. However, parental distress has been understudied despite its negative impact on quality of life, disability, and somatic disorders. Parents of oncopediatric patients experience high levels of suffering with their resilience tested throughout their children’s illness. Identifying at-risk parents and offering specific treatments is crucial and urgent to prevent or alleviate negative outcomes. Methods: This study used statistical and network analyses to examine symptom patterns assessed by the Kellner Symptom Questionnaire in 16 fathers and 23 mothers at different time points: diagnosis, treatment, and discharge. Results: The results indicated significantly higher distress levels in parents of oncopediatric children compared to the control reference population. Gender-specific differences in symptom profiles were observed at each time point, and symptoms showed a gradual but non-significant decrease over time. Conclusions: The network analysis yielded valuable insights that, when applied in clinical practice, can guide the implementation of timely treatments to prevent and manage parental distress, thus addressing long-term, stress-related issues in primary caregivers of children diagnosed and treated for cancer.