Styles of Delivering News About a Child's Cancer and Parents' PTSD Symptoms

Moshe U. Farchi, Yori Gidron

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Receiving a child's cancer diagnosis is a highly traumatic experience for parents, often leading to significant psychological distress, including symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The way healthcare professionals deliver this news can affect the severity of parents' reactions. While some research examines communication style's impact on patients, few studies focus on its effects on parents. Aims: This study explores the relationship between the communication style used by oncologists when delivering a child's cancer diagnosis and the subsequent levels of PTSD symptoms, mental resilience, and self-efficacy in parents. Methods: One hundred twenty eight parents of children diagnosed with cancer participated. Data were collected using the Styles of Communicating Questionnaire (SCQ), PTSD Checklist for DSM-V (PCL-5), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISK), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Correlations and hierarchical multiple regressions were performed to examine the relationship between communication style and psychological outcomes. Results: Parents who perceived the oncologist's communication style as more activating (clear, structured, and action-oriented) reported significantly lower levels of PTSD symptoms and higher levels of resilience and self-efficacy. The perception of empathy played a crucial role, particularly when physicians balanced emotional and cognitive empathy. This balance was linked to better psychological outcomes in parents. Conclusions: The study highlights the critical role of communication style in mitigating the psychological impact of a child's cancer diagnosis on parents. Training healthcare providers to balance cognitive and emotional empathy in communication may reduce PTSD symptoms and enhance resilience and self-efficacy in parents, ultimately improving their psychological well-being during such a challenging time.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere70071
JournalPsycho-Oncology
Volume34
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

  • acute stress disorder
  • acute stress reaction
  • cancer diagnosis communication
  • general self efficacy
  • parental resilience in oncology
  • pediatric oncology and PTSD
  • post trauma

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Oncology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Styles of Delivering News About a Child's Cancer and Parents' PTSD Symptoms'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this