Psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Parenting Concerns Questionnaire in parents with cancer

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/1651-226X.2024.40728

Keywords:

Oncology, parenting, distress, psychometrics, validation study

Abstract

Background and purpose: Parenting concerns can be a major source of distress for patients with cancer who are parents of dependent children; however, these are often not addressed in health care. The Parenting Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ) is an instrument designed to assess parents’ worries about the impact of cancer on their children and their ability to parent during this time. The Swedish version of the PCQ has, however, not been evaluated. This study therefore aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the PCQ in a sample of Swedish parents with cancer.

Material and methods: A sample of 336 patients with cancer having dependent children (≤18 years) were included in a cross-sectional web-based survey. Participants completed questionnaires assessing parenting concerns, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (DASS); self-efficacy, family functioning (FAD-GF); and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Descriptive analyses, as well as reliability and validity analyses, were conducted followed by a confirmatory factor analysis of the factor structure proposed by the authors of the original version of the PCQ.

Results: The majority were mothers (94.9%) with breast cancer (66.4%) aged 40–50 years (59.5%). The results showed evidence for convergent, criterion, and known group’s validity, but the original three-factor structure of the PCQ was not fully supported by confirmatory factor analysis.

Interpretation: Evaluating parenting concerns may be an important step towards identifying patients who could benefit from targeted psychosocial interventions. However, the PCQ may require some further refinement to fully capture the breadth of parenting concerns in parents with cancer in different settings.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Inhestern L, Bultmann JC, Johannsen LM, et al. Estimates of prevalence rates of cancer patients with children and well-being in affected children: A systematic review on population-based findings. Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:765314.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.765314 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.765314

Semple CJ, McCance T. Parents’ experience of cancer who have young children: a literature review. Cancer Nurs. 2010;33(2):110–18.

https://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0b013e3181c024bb DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0b013e3181c024bb

Kuswanto CN, Stafford L, Sharp J, et al. Psychological distress, role, and identity changes in mothers following a diagnosis of cancer: a systematic review. Psychooncology. 2018;27(12):2700–08.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4904 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4904

Inhestern L, Haller AC, Wlodarczyk O, et al. Psychosocial interventions for families with parental cancer and barriers and facilitators to implementation and use – a systematic review. PLoS One. 2016;11(6):e0156967.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156967 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156967

Stafford L, Sinclair M, Turner J, et al. Study protocol for Enhancing Parenting in Cancer (EPIC): development and evaluation of a brief psy-cho-educational intervention to support parents with cancer who have young children. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2017;3:72.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-017-0215-y DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-017-0215-y

Romare Strandh M, Hovén E, Sörensdotter R, et al. The complexity of being a parent in the hospital and a patient at home: a qualitative study on parenting concerns and challenges among parents with cancer. Cancer Nurs. 2023. [Epub ahead of print] https://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0000000000001276 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0000000000001276

Rauch PK, Muriel AC. The importance of parenting concerns among patients with cancer. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2004;49:37–42.

https://doi.org/10.1016/s1040-8428(03)00095-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1040-8428(03)00095-7

Visser A, Huizinga GA, van der Graaf WTA, et al. The impact of parental cancer on children and the family: a review of the literature. Cancer Treat Rev. 2004;30(8):683–94.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctrv.2004.06.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctrv.2004.06.001

Semple CJ, McCaughan E, Smith R, et al. Parent’s with incurable cancer: ‘nuts and bolts’ of how professionals can support parents to com-municate with their dependent children. Patient Educ Couns. 2022;105:775–80.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2021.06.032 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2021.06.032

Muriel AC, Moore CW, Baer L, et al. Measuring psychosocial distress and parenting concerns among adults with cancer: the Parenting Concerns Questionnaire. Cancer. 2012;118(22):5671–8.

https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.27572 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.27572

Shands ME, Lewis FM. Parents with advanced cancer: worries about their children’s unspoken concerns. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2021;38(8):920–6.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909120969120 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909120969120

Johannsen L, Brandt M, Frerichs W, et al. The impact of cancer on the mental health of patients parenting minor children: a systematic review of quantitative evidence. Psychooncology. 2022;31(6):869–78.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5912 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5912

Duchovic CA, Gerkensmeyer JE, Wu J. Factors associated with parental distress. J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 2009;22(1):40–8.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6171.2008.00168.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6171.2008.00168.x

Tavares R, Brandão T, Matos PM. Mothers with breast cancer: a mixed-method systematic review on the impact on the parent-child rela-tionship. Psychooncology. 2018;27:367–75.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4451 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4451

Piehler TF, Lee SS, Bloomquist ML, et al. Moderating effects of parental well-being on parenting efficacy outcomes by intervention delivery model of the early risers conduct problems prevention program. J Prim Prev. 2014;35(5):321–37.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-014-0358-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-014-0358-z

Jones TL, Prinz RJ. Potential roles of parental self-efficacy in parent and child adjustment: a review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2005;25(3):341–63.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2004.12.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2004.12.004

Rollè L, Prino LE, Sechi C, et al. Parenting stress, mental health, dyadic adjustment: a structural equation model. Front Psychol. 2017;8:839.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00839 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00839

Moore CW, Rauch PK, Baer L, et al. Parenting changes in adults with cancer: parenting changes in adults with cancer. Cancer. 2015;121(19):3551–7.

https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29525 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29525

Inhestern L, Bultmann JC, Beierlein V, et al. Psychometric properties of the Parenting Concerns Questionnaire in cancer survivors with minor and young adult children. Psychooncology. 2016;25(9):1092–8.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4049 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4049

Tavares R, Brandão T, Matos PM. The Parenting Concerns Questionnaire: A validation study with Portuguese parents with cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2020;29(6):e13315.

https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.13315 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.13315

Park EM, Tan X, Stephenson EM, et al. Psychometric analysis of the parenting concerns questionnaire in women with metastatic cancer. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2018;55(2):451–7.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.09.021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.09.021

Park EM, Wang M, Bowers SM, et al. Adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Parenting Concerns Questionnaire-advanced disease. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2022;39(8):918–25.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10499091211049801 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10499091211049801

Henry JD, Crawford JR. The short-form version of the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS-21): construct validity and normative data in a large non-clinical sample. Br J Clin Psych. 2005;44(2):227–39.

https://doi.org/10.1348/014466505X29657 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1348/014466505X29657

Epstein NB, Baldwin LM, Bishop DS. The McMaster family assessment device. J Marital Fam Ther. 1983;9(2):171–80.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.1983.tb01497.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.1983.tb01497.x

Schwarzer R, Jerusalem, M. General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) [Database record]. APA PsycTests. 1995.

https://doi.org/10.1037/t00393-000 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/t00393-000

Ware JE Jr, Gandek B. Methods for testing data quality, scaling assumptions, and reliability: the IQOLA Project approach. J Clin Epidemiol. 1998;51(11):945–52.

https://doi.org/10.1016/s0895-4356(98)00085-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0895-4356(98)00085-7

Nunnally JC, Bernstein I. Psychometric theory. 3rd ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 1994.

Hooper D, Coughlan J, Mullen M. Structural equation modelling: guidelines for determining model fit. Electron J Business Res Methods. 2008;6(1):53–60.

https://doi.org/10.21427/D7CF7R

Hu L, Bentler PM. Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Struct Equ Modeling. 1999;6(1):1–55.

https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118

Park EM, Deal AM, Check DK, et al. Parenting concerns, quality of life, and psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer. Psy-chooncology. 2016;25(8):942–8.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3935 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3935

Matuszczak-Świgoń J, Bakiera L. Experiences of adults as parents with cancer: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies. J Psychosoc Oncol. 2021;39(6):765–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347332.2020.1859662 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07347332.2020.1859662

Faccio F, Mascheroni E, Ionio C, et al. Motherhood during or after breast cancer diagnosis: a qualitative study. Eur J Cancer Care. 2020;29(2): e13214.

https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.13214 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.13214

Stinesen-Kollberg K, Thorsteinsdottir T, Wilderäng U, et al. Worry about one’s own children, psychological well-being, and interest in psychosocial intervention. Psychooncology. 2013;22(9):2117–23.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3266 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3266

Lundquist M. Fathers facing advanced cancer: an exploratory study. J Soc Work End Life Palliat Care. 2017;13(4):266–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/15524256.2017.1403410 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15524256.2017.1403410

de Los Angeles Oyarzún-Farías M, Cova F, Bustos Navarrete C. Parental stress and satisfaction in parents with pre-school and school age children. Front Psychol. 2021;12:683117.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.683117 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.683117

Moshagen M, Erdfelder E. A new strategy for testing structural equation models. Struct Equ Model. 2016;23(1):54–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705511.2014.950896 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10705511.2014.950896

Goretzko D, Siemund K, Sterner P. Evaluating model fit of measurement models in confirmatory factor analysis. Educ Psychol Meas. 2024;84(1):123–44.

https://doi.org/10.1177/00131644231163813 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00131644231163813

Published

2024-07-22

How to Cite

Ljungman, L. ., Romare Strandh, M., Gustafsson, N., Muriel, A. C., Moore, C. W., Enebrink, P., & Wikman, A. (2024). Psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Parenting Concerns Questionnaire in parents with cancer. Acta Oncologica, 63(1), 592–599. https://doi.org/10.2340/1651-226X.2024.40728

Funding data