Parenting under pressure: a cross-sectional questionnaire study of psychological distress, parenting concerns, self-efficacy, and emotion regulation in parents with cancer
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2340/1651-226X.2024.40404Keywords:
neoplasms, parents, parenting concerns, psychological distress, depression, anxiety, stressAbstract
Background and purpose: As many as one in four adults with cancer have children under 18 years.
Balancing parenting and cancer is challenging and can be a source of psychological distress. This study aimed to examine psychological distress in parents with cancer and its associations with parenting concerns, self-efficacy, and emotion regulation.
Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire study of 406 parents (aged 25–60 years) diagnosed with cancer within the last 5 years, with at least one dependent child (≤ 18 years). Parents completed questionnaires on psychological distress (DASS-21), parenting concerns (PCQ), self-efficacy (GSE), emotion regulation (ERQ), mental and physical health, and sociodemographics. Data were analysed using multiple logistic regressions on depression (yes/no), anxiety (yes/no), and stress (yes/no).
Results: Higher parenting concerns were associated with greater odds of depression (OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.64–3.31), anxiety (OR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.64–3.20), and stress (OR = 3.21, 95% CI: 2.20–4.69) when adjusting for health and sociodemographic factors. Poorer self-efficacy was associated with increased odds of anxiety (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89–0.99, p < 0.05), whereas lower use of cognitive reappraisal and higher use of expressive suppression increased the odds of depression (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.59–0.98 | OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.18–1.80).
Interpretation: The findings highlight the complexity of parental well-being in relation to parenthood and cancer, stressing the need for interventions that address relevant psychological factors to improve overall mental health in this population.
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Copyright (c) 2023 Maria Romare Strandh, Pia Enebrink, Karin Stålberg, Renita Sörensdotter, Lisa Ljungman, Anna Wikman
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Cancerfonden
Grant numbers 20 0824 Pj -
Vetenskapsrådet
Grant numbers 2020-02080
