Gritting through it: caregiver grit as a source of resilience in families affected by pediatric cancer.

IF 2.7 3区心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL

Journal of Pediatric Psychology Pub Date : 2025-06-16 DOI:10.1093/jpepsy/jsaf047

Christina M Sharkey, Rachel S Fisher, J Carrick Carter, Rene McNall-Knapp, Sunnye Mayes, Katherine A Traino, Larry L Mullins

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective: Children treated for cancer and their caregivers exhibit considerable resilience, yet a subset are at risk for adjustment difficulties. Limited research has utilized a resilience-based theoretical framework, conceptualized as the process of harnessing resources. Grit, defined as perseverance and passion toward long-term goals, is one internal resource to consider. The present study investigates the role of caregiver grit in caregiver and child psychological adjustment following a pediatric cancer diagnosis.

Methods: Participants were caregivers of children within 1 year of a cancer diagnosis (meandays = 105.9, SD = 75.04). Parents provided self-reports of grit and posttraumatic stress symptoms and proxy-reports of their child's behavioral and emotional symptoms.

Results: On average, caregivers (N = 107, 89.6% female, 73.4% White, 42.6% college or higher degree) reported a grit score of 3.40 (SD = 0.67), comparable to the general population. A subset of participants (46.7% of caregivers and 21.5% of children) had psychosocial symptoms above clinical cut-offs. Higher caregiver grit was associated with lower caregiver posttraumatic stress symptoms (F(1,79) = 13.77, p < .001, R2 = 14.8%) and lower child psychological difficulties, F(1,70) = 18.78, p < .001, R2 = 21.2%. Caregiver posttraumatic stress symptoms mediated the relationship between caregiver grit and child psychological difficulties (β = -0.23, 95%BC [-0.47, -0.04]).

Conclusion: Among families affected by pediatric cancer, higher levels of caregiver grit were associated with lower caregiver posttraumatic stress symptoms, and in turn, lower child psychological difficulties. Results suggest that grit is a potential target for promoting both caregiver and child resilience in pediatric cancer services. Longitudinal research should examine how caregivers harness grit, as a possible component of resilience, throughout the cancer treatment and survivorship trajectory.

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坚持到底：护理人员的勇气是受儿童癌症影响的家庭恢复力的来源。

目的：接受癌症治疗的儿童及其照顾者表现出相当大的适应能力，但有一部分儿童面临适应困难的风险。有限的研究利用了基于弹性的理论框架，将其概念化为利用资源的过程。毅力，被定义为对长期目标的坚持和热情，是一种需要考虑的内在资源。本研究旨在探讨照顾者勇气在儿童癌症诊断后照顾者和儿童心理适应中的作用。方法：参与者为癌症诊断后1年内儿童的照顾者（平均天数= 105.9,SD = 75.04）。父母提供了毅力和创伤后应激症状的自我报告，以及孩子行为和情绪症状的代理报告。结果：照护者（N = 107，女性89.6%，白人73.4%，大专及以上学历42.6%）的平均沙砾得分为3.40 (SD = 0.67)，与一般人群相当。一部分参与者（46.7%的照料者和21.5%的儿童）的心理社会症状高于临床临界值。较高的照顾者勇气与较低的照顾者创伤后应激症状相关（F(1,79) = 13.77, p）结论：在受儿童癌症影响的家庭中，较高的照顾者勇气与较低的照顾者创伤后应激症状相关，进而与较低的儿童心理困难相关。结果表明，毅力是促进儿童癌症服务中护理人员和儿童恢复力的潜在目标。纵向研究应该检查护理人员如何在整个癌症治疗和生存轨迹中利用勇气，作为恢复力的可能组成部分。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Pediatric Psychology PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL-

CiteScore

6.00

自引率

11.10%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Journal of Pediatric Psychology is the official journal of the Society of Pediatric Psychology, Division 54 of the American Psychological Association. The Journal of Pediatric Psychology publishes articles related to theory, research, and professional practice in pediatric psychology. Pediatric psychology is an integrated field of science and practice in which the principles of psychology are applied within the context of pediatric health. The field aims to promote the health and development of children, adolescents, and their families through use of evidence-based methods.