Posttraumatic stress symptoms in adolescent survivors of childhood cancer and their mothers

Abstract

We examined symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adolescent survivors of childhood cancer and their mothers and the contribution of family functioning, including perceived emotional support and familial conflict, and individual factors including life stress and severity of disease to PTSD symptoms. Participants were 52 adolescent cancer survivors and their mothers and 42 healthy adolescent counterparts and their mothers. Findings revealed that mothers of cancer survivors endorsed more PTSD symptoms than did their healthy counterparts and that survivors and mothers also reported greater recent and past stressful life events. Although no survivors met clinical criteria for a PTSD diagnosis, over 36% endorsed mild subthreshold symptomatology. Findings are discussed in the context of understanding PTSD symptoms within a family systems framework.