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Annals of Oncology Advance Access originally published online on September 2, 2005
Annals of Oncology 2005 16(12):1956-1961; doi:10.1093/annonc/mdi395
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© 2005 European Society for Medical Oncology

The quality of communication between parents and adolescent children in the case of parental cancer

G. A. Huizinga1, A. Visser1, W. T. A. van der Graaf2, H. J. Hoekstra3 and J. E. H. M. Hoekstra-Weebers1,4,5,*

1 Departments of Health Psychology, 2 Medical Oncology, 3 Surgical Oncology, 4 Psychosocial Services, University Medical Center Groningen, and University of Groningen; 5 Comprehensive Cancer Center North-Netherlands, Groningen, The Netherlands

* Correspondence to: Dr J. E. H. M. Hoekstra-Weebers, Psychosocial Services, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 50-361-4978; Fax: +31 50-361-9326; E-mail: j.hoekstra-weebers{at}psb.umcg.nl

Background: This study was designed to investigate: (i) parent–adolescent communication in families of cancer patients; (ii) relationships between parent–adolescent communication and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in adolescent children; and (iii) associations between parents' illness characteristics and parent–adolescent communication.

Patients and methods: A total of 212 adolescents completed the Impact of Event Scale and Parent–Adolescent Communication Scale.

Results: Adolescents communicated less openly with mothers with cancer than controls with mothers; this was the only significant difference with the reference group. Daughters communicated more openly with ill parents than with healthy parents. More open communication with healthy parents was related to fewer PTSS in daughters. More problem communication with both parents was related to more PTSS in both sons and daughters. Sons reported more problems in communication with ill parents in case of more intensive treatment or recurrent disease. Daughters experienced less open communication with both parents when ill parents received more intensive treatment. Time since diagnosis was not related to parent–adolescent communication. Multivariate analyses showed that communication patterns specifically affected PTSS of daughters. Problem communication with the healthy parent was the strongest predictor of intrusion while problem communication with the ill parents was the strongest predictor of avoidance.

Conclusions: Parent–adolescent communication in families of cancer patients differs little from that in families not confronted with parental cancer. Problem communication outweighed lack of openness with respect to development of PTSS. Recurrent disease and intensive treatment regimens affected parent–adolescent communication negatively.

Key words: child functioning, communication, parental cancer


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 Ann OncolHome page
S. M. Gazendam-Donofrio, H. J. Hoekstra, W. T. A. van der Graaf, H. B. M. van de Wiel, A. Visser, G. A. Huizinga, and J. E. H. M. Hoekstra-Weebers
Family functioning and adolescents' emotional and behavioral problems: when a parent has cancer
Ann. Onc., December 1, 2007; 18(12): 1951 - 1956.
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