Two central themes were assessed in this thesis involving children with cancer.
First, the relationship between the child's medical functioning and their overall
quality of life (QOL). Second, how the child's illness and subsequent QOL related
to parental mental health and parenting behaviours. These themes were explored
using the Risk and Resilience model developed by Wallander et al. (1989b).
Study one involved children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
(ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer. Results showed that the
child's medical functioning (e.g., time since diagnosis) did not relate to the child's
QOL, but did relate to parental mental health. Furthermore, child QOL was
significantly related to both parental mental health (depression) and parenting
behaviours (endorsement of force).
In an attempt to explore these themes in greater detail, Study two involved two
groups of cancer survivors, those with ALL or tumours of the central nervous
system (CNS). Medically, these groups have different prognoses, treatments, and
long-term consequences. Results showed that those with poorer medical
functioning, i.e., CNS tumours, had poorer QOL than both the ALL group and
population norms, confirming the relationship between the child's medical and
psychological adaptation. Furthermore, the child's adaptation was strongly related
to both parental mental health and parenting behaviours, again providing evidence
for the relationship between child and parent functioning.
The results of both studies in this thesis go some way to demonstrate the wide-ranging
effects that cancer can have on both the child and family. The child's
QOL can be compromised by the illness. Moreover, cancer has a detrimental
effect on the family life, from pervasive feelings of depression and worry, to longterm
concerns about child-rearing. This thesis has shown that those children with
CNS involvement, and their families, are particularly at-risk. To conclude, a
section outlining clinical interventions which can help reduced the impact of
childhood cancer on the family are discussed.