Background:
Late physical, psychosocial, and neuro-cognitive effects and associated problems seen in children who are in remission during leukemia and lymphoma treatment adversely affect children's and their families’ lives. In this study we aimed to assess anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and attitude toward illness of children with leukemia and lymphoma in remission
Aims:
The aim of the present study was to determine psychological needs of children with leukemia and lymphoma in remission, and to ensure necessary measures be taken by diagnosing psychological disorders early in the course.
Methods:
We enrolled 40 patients aged 8-18 years who had treated for leukemia and lymphoma in remission. The control group consisted of 40 healthy children with similar socio-demographic properties aged 8-18 yeard who presented to the department of social pediatrics for any reason and who were free of any chronic disorder or psychological problem. Study subjects were applied Coopersmith self-esteem inventory (CSES), child attitude toward illness scale (CATIS), Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS).
Results:
An analysis of CATIS scores showed that 75% of the patient group developed a negative attitude toward illness. CSES scores showed no significant difference between the patient and control groups. However, the patient group showed a lower mean self-esteem score than the control group. As for the RCADS scores, the mean total anxiety depression scores were significantly different between the patient and control groups and between the male patients and male controls. Furthermore, our study showed that among patients with leukemia or lymphoma, 17% had anxiety; 15% had depression; 25% had seperation anxiety; 40% had obsessive compulsive disorder; and 35% had panic disorder.
Results:
The results of our study showed that male children suffer a greater rate of psychiatric disorders than female children. Therefore, one should be cautious about male children. Moreover, difficulties children experience during and after treatment for leukemia and lymphoma adversely affect their adaptation to social life, mood, attitude toward illness, and self-esteem. This can be overcome by a psychiatric assessment of these children with their families both during and after treatment and providing guidance at appropriate times.
Summary/Conclusion:
Our study investigated anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and attitudes toward illness among patients aged 8-18 years who hah lymphoma or leukemia in remission. It revealed that especially the male patient group had a greater rate if depression and anxiety compared to the control group. It was also shown that children with leukemia and lymphoma developed a negative attitude against the illness and they attained lower scores in the scales for other chronic disorders. They did not develop a significant difference between the control group with respect to self-esteem.
In this regard, it is considered that, by examining the differences especially between both sexes in larger samples, physicians and families may be guided in part of preventive psychiatric services.
