DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY IN PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC ONCOLOGIC OR HEMATOLOGIC DISEASE

This study identified the frequency of depressive symptomatology in parents of children who were recently diagnosed with a chronic oncologic or hematologic disorder and explored the relationship between intrusion coping, avoidance coping, parental perceptions of support, perceptions of the severity of the child's illness, and depressive symptomatology. A repeated measures design involving a convenience sample of 32 parents (23 mothers and 9 fathers) completed questionnaires within 6 months of their child's diagnosis (Time 1) and 21 parents (17 mothers and 4 fathers) who completed them a second time approximately 12 months later (Time 2). Fourteen of the 32 parents at Time 1 and 7 (all mothers) of the 21 parents at Time 2 had scores indicating depressive symptomatology. No significant change in mean depression scores occurred between Time 1 and Time 2. Avoidance coping was the only variable that significantly predicted depressive symptomatology at Time 1. These findings have significance for health care professionals working with parents of children diagnosed with chronic oncologic and hematologic disease.