Grant Number:	1R01CA138981-01A1 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Penner, Louis
Organization:	Wayne State University
Project Title:	Resources, Parent-Child Communication and Adjustment to Pediatric Cancer
Fiscal Year:	2009

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Many pediatric cancer patients and their parents experience serious psychosocial problems during and long after completing treatment. Designing interventions to significantly reduce these problems requires understanding their origins. Thus, our primary objective is to identify specific factors that directly and indirectly affect psychosocial adjustment. Previous research shows: (a) both parents' and children's long-term psychosocial outcomes are rooted in the treatment experience; (b) invasive treatment procedures during clinic visits (e.g., lumbar punctures) are one of the most stressful aspects of pediatric cancer; and thus (c) negative responses to these procedures (e.g., distress) place parents and children at greater risk for subsequent psychosocial problems. We have found that variability in children's immediate responses to treatment procedures is associated with variability in situational resources (i.e., resources on days of clinic visits) and in parent-child communication patterns during clinic visits. Our model of causes of psychosocial problems associated with pediatric cancer is based on these and other empirical findings. It posits that: (a) stable family resources (i.e., social, personal, and fiscal/material resources) directly affect parents' and children's psychosocial well-being; (b) stable and situational family resources affect parent-child communication during clinic visits; and (c) parent-child communication affects their responses to procedures and subsequent psychosocial adjustment. Our first aim (Phase 1) is to replicate and extend prior research on relationships among the variables in the model and to determine the viability of the overall model. Our second aim (Phase 2) is to experimentally test causal relationships between specific variables in the model and parents' and children's responses to procedures. We will conduct two separate experiments that manipulate specific situational resources and parent communication behavior and examine the direct and/or indirect effects on immediate responses to treatment procedures and on subsequent psychosocial adjustment. Phase 1 will enroll 130-150 total families of recently diagnosed pediatric cancer patients at two institutions. Families' stable resources and situational resources on days of clinic visits will be assessed. Parent-child interactions during three clinic visits will be video recorded and responses to treatment procedures will be assessed. Children's and parents' psychosocial adjustment will be assessed three, six, and nine months after completion of video-recorded clinic visits. In Phase 2, 130-150 families from the two institutions will be randomly assigned to control and experimental treatment conditions. Experimental groups will receive the manipulations. Control groups will receive standard of care. Families will be assessed in the same manner as in Phase 1. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Previous research indicates that: (a) invasive treatment procedures are one of the most stressful aspects of pediatric cancer and (b) parents' and children's negative long-term psychosocial outcomes are rooted in distress reactions associated with those procedures. Families' personal and social resources at the time of treatment and parent-child communication patterns during treatment-related clinic visits are associated with children's responses (i.e., pain and distress) to treatment procedures. The proposed study will identify and experimentally test relationships between specific social and personal resources and parent-child communication and parent/child immediate responses to treatment procedures and psychosocial adjustment. The study will provide the basis for interventions ameliorating some of the major negative psychosocial effects of pediatric cancer.




Understanding differences in the long-term psychosocial adjustment of pediatric cancer patients and their parents: an individual differences resources model.
Authors: Harper F.W.K. , Albrecht T.L. , Trentacosta C.J. , Taub J.W. , Phipps S. , Penner L.A. .
Source: Translational Behavioral Medicine, 2019-05-16 00:00:00.0; 9(3), p. 514-522.
PMID: 31094435
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Longitudinal Analysis of Parent Communication Behaviors and Child Distress during Cancer Port Start Procedures.
Authors: Bai J. , Swanson K.M. , Harper F.W.K. , Santacroce S.J. , Penner L.A. .
Source: Pain Management Nursing : Official Journal Of The American Society Of Pain Management Nurses, 2018 10; 19(5), p. 487-496.
EPub date: 2018-03-01 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 29503218
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Observational Coding Systems of Parent-Child Interactions During Painful Procedures: A Systematic Review.
Authors: Bai J. , Swanson K.M. , Santacroce S.J. .
Source: Pain Practice : The Official Journal Of World Institute Of Pain, 2018 01; 18(1), p. 130-145.
EPub date: 2017-06-04 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 28467677
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Parents' Verbal and Nonverbal Caring Behaviors and Child Distress During Cancer-Related Port Access Procedures: A Time-Window Sequential Analysis.
Authors: Bai J. , Harper F.W.K. , Penner L.A. , Swanson K. , Santacroce S.J. .
Source: Oncology Nursing Forum, 2017-11-01 00:00:00.0; 44(6), p. 675-687.
PMID: 29052654
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Parent Caring Response Scoring System: development and psychometric evaluation in the context of childhood cancer-related port starts.
Authors: Bai J. , Swanson K. , Harper F.W.K. , Penner L.A. , Santacroce S.J. .
Source: Scandinavian Journal Of Caring Sciences, 2017-09-04 00:00:00.0; , .
EPub date: 2017-09-04 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 28869662
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The Effects Of Oncologist Implicit Racial Bias In Racially Discordant Oncology Interactions
Authors: Penner L.A. , Dovidio J.F. , Gonzalez R. , Albrecht T.L. , Chapman R. , Foster T. , Harper F.W. , Hagiwara N. , Hamel L.M. , Shields A.F. , et al. .
Source: Journal Of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal Of The American Society Of Clinical Oncology, 2016-08-20 00:00:00.0; 34(24), p. 2874-80.
PMID: 27325865
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Self-distancing Buffers High Trait Anxious Pediatric Cancer Caregivers Against Short- And Longer-term Distress
Authors: Penner L.A. , Guevarra D.A. , Harper F.W. , Taub J. , Phipps S. , Albrecht T.L. , Kross E. .
Source: Clinical Psychological Science : A Journal Of The Association For Psychological Science, 2016 Jul; 4(4), p. 629-640.
PMID: 27617183
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Satisfaction With Support Versus Size Of Network: Differential Effects Of Social Support On Psychological Distress In Parents Of Pediatric Cancer Patients
Authors: Harper F.W. , Peterson A.M. , Albrecht T.L. , Taub J.W. , Phipps S. , Penner L.A. .
Source: Psycho-oncology, 2016 May; 25(5), p. 551-8.
PMID: 27092714
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Patient- And Family-centered Care As An Approach To Reducing Disparities In Asthma Outcomes In Urban African American Children: A Review Of The Literature
Authors: Harper F.W. , Eggly S. , Crider B. , Kobayashi H. , Kathleen R.N. , Meert L. , Ball A. , Penner L.A. , Gray H. , Albrecht T.L. .
Source: Journal Of The National Medical Association, 2015 Jun; 107(2), p. 4-17.
PMID: 27269485
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Temperament, Personality, And Quality Of Life In Pediatric Cancer Patients
Authors: Harper F.W. , Goodlett B.D. , Trentacosta C.J. , Albrecht T.L. , Taub J.W. , Phipps S. , Penner L.A. .
Source: Journal Of Pediatric Psychology, 2014 May; 39(4), p. 459-68.
PMID: 24443742
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Parent Caregiver Self-efficacy And Child Reactions To Pediatric Cancer Treatment Procedures
Authors: Peterson A.M. , Harper F.W. , Albrecht T.L. , Taub J.W. , Orom H. , Phipps S. , Penner L.A. .
Source: Journal Of Pediatric Oncology Nursing : Official Journal Of The Association Of Pediatric Oncology Nurses, 2014 Jan-Feb; 31(1), p. 18-27.
PMID: 24378818
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Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms In Parents Of Pediatric Cancer Patients: A Mediational Analysis
Authors: Harper F.W. , Peterson A.M. , Albrecht T.L. , Taub J.W. , Phipps S. , Penner L.A. .
Source: Journal Of Traumatic Stress Disorders & Treatment, 2014; 3(4), .
PMID: 25580441
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Longitudinal Study Of Parent Caregiving Self-efficacy And Parent Stress Reactions With Pediatric Cancer Treatment Procedures
Authors: Harper F.W. , Peterson A.M. , Uphold H. , Albrecht T.L. , Taub J.W. , Orom H. , Phipps S. , Penner L.A. .
Source: Psycho-oncology, 2013 Jul; 22(7), p. 1658-64.
PMID: 23034930
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Children's positive dispositional attributes, parents' empathic responses, and children's responses to painful pediatric oncology treatment procedures.
Authors: Harper F.W. , Penner L.A. , Peterson A. , Albrecht T.L. , Taub J. .
Source: Journal Of Psychosocial Oncology, 2012; 30(5), p. 593-613.
PMID: 22963185
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Pediatric Cancer Patients' Treatment-related Distress And Longer-term Anxiety: An Individual Differences Perspective
Authors: Trentacosta C.J. , Harper F.W. , Albrecht T.L. , Taub J.W. , Phipps S. , Penner L.A. .
Source: Journal Of Developmental And Behavioral Pediatrics : Jdbp, 2016 Nov/Dec; 37(9), p. 753-761.
PMID: 27802258
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