Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Quality of Life

Quality of life and behavioral adjustment after pediatric bone marrow transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 26, pages 427–435 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

The purpose of this study was two-fold: to describe the quality of life and behavioral adjustment of survivors of pediatric bone marrow transplantation (BMT) prior to and 6 months post-BMT; and, to identify correlates of survivors’ quality of life and behavioral adjustment. Participants were 26 children and adolescents who underwent BMT, and their mothers. At pre- and 6 months post BMT, mothers completed standardized measures of their children's behavioral adjustment, quality of life, and adaptive functioning. Self-report questionnaires were completed to determine levels of maternal anxiety and depression, and family functioning. Information was also gathered about demographic variables, medical history, and symptom severity. Children's overall quality of life improved 6 months post BMT and was most strongly associated with pre-BMT levels of family cohesion. Children's behavioral adjustment remained within the normal range across time and was associated with pre-BMT levels of family cohesion and child adaptive functioning. Mothers’ psychological adjustment improved over time and was associated with quality of life, but unrelated to children's behavioral adjustment. Pre-BMT levels of family cohesion and child adaptive functioning appear to be important in understanding quality of life and behavioral adjustment of pediatric BMT survivors. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 26, 427–435.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ferrell B, Grant M, Whedon M . Quality of life in bone marrow transplant. In: Spilker B (ed) Quality of Life and Pharmaco-Economics in Clinical Trials, 2nd edn Lippincott-Raven: Philadelphia 1996 1015–1028

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ferrell B, Grant M, Schmidt GM . The meaning of quality of life for bone marrow transplant survivors. Part 2. Improving quality of life for bone marrow transplant survivors Cancer Nurs 1992 15: 247–253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Atkins DM, Patenaude AF . Psychosocial preparation and follow-up for pediatric bone marrow transplantation patients Am J Orthopsychiatry 1987 57: 246–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Phipps S, Hinds P, Channell S, Bell G . Measurement of behavioral affective and somatic responses to pediatric bone marrow transplantation: development of the BASES scale J Pediatr Oncol Nurs 1994 11: 109–117

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Pot-Mees CC, Zeitlin H . Psychosocial consequences of bone marrow transplantation in children: a preliminary communication J Psychosoc Oncol 1987 5: 73–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Lee ML, Cohen SE, Stuber ML, Nader K . Parent–child interactions with pediatric bone marrow transplant patients J Psychosoc Oncol 1994 12: 43–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Pot-Mees CC . Psychosocial interventions in a bone marrow transplantation programme. In: Last BF, van Veldhuizen AM (eds) Developments in Pediatric Psychosocial Oncology Swets & Zeitlinger: Amsterdam 1992 93–99

    Google Scholar 

  8. Sormanti M, Dungan S, Rieker PP . Pediatric bone marrow transplantation: psychological issues for parents after a child's hospitalization J Psychosoc Oncol 1994 12: 23–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Stuber ML, Nader K, Yasuda P et al. Stress responses after pediatric bone marrow transplantation: preliminary results of a prospective longitudinal study J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiat 1991 30: 952–957

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Phipps S, Mulhern R . Family cohesion and expressiveness promote resilience to the stress of pediatric bone marrow transplant: a preliminary report J Dev Behav Pediatr 1995 16: 257–263

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Vanatta K, Zeller M, Noll RB, Koontz K . Social functioning of children surviving bone marrow transplantation J Pediatr Psychol 1998 23: 169–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. World Health Organization . Constitution of the World Health Organization WHO: Geneva 1947

    Google Scholar 

  13. Goodwin DAJ, Boggs SR, Graham-Pole J . Development and validation of the pediatric oncology quality of life scale J Psychol Assess 1994 6: 321–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Kanter D, Leher W . Inside the family Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA 1975

    Google Scholar 

  15. Sparrow SS, Balla DA, Cicchetti DV . Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales American Guidance Service: Circle Pines, MN 1984

    Google Scholar 

  16. Achenbach TM . Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist/4–18 and 1991 Profile University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry: Burlington, VT 1991

    Google Scholar 

  17. Achenbach TM, Edelbrock CS . The child behavior profile: II. Boys aged 6–12 and girls aged 6–11 and 12–16 J Consult Clin Psychol 1983 47: 223–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Beck AT . An Inventory for Measuring Depression: Manual Consulting Psychologists Press: Palo Alto, CA 1978

    Google Scholar 

  19. Spielberger CD, Gorsuch RL, Luchene R et al. Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Consulting Psychologists Press: Palo Alto, CA 1983

    Google Scholar 

  20. Katz R, Katz J, Shaw BF . Beck Depression Inventory and Hopelessness Scale. In: Maruish ME (ed) Psychological Testing: Treatment Planning and Outcome Assessment Lawrence Erlbaum: New York 1993 120–133

    Google Scholar 

  21. Barrera M, Gibson J, Weksberg R et al. Psychological adjustment of mothers of newly diagnosed children with cancer Paper presented at the meeting of the Pediatric Oncology Group: St Peter's Beach, Florida 1998

    Google Scholar 

  22. Olson DH, Portner J, Lavee Y . Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES) III University of Minnesota, Family Social Science: St Paul, MN 1985

    Google Scholar 

  23. Gotlib IH . Depression and general psychopathology in university students J Abnormal Psychol 1984 93: 19–30

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Sawyer M, Streiner D, Antoniou G et al. Influence of parental and family adjustment on the later psychological adjustment of children treated for cancer J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiat 1998 37: 815–822

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Levers C, Brown R, Lambert R et al. Family functioning and social support in the adaptation of caregivers of children with sickle cell syndrome J Pediatr Psychol 1998 23: 377–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, New Initiatives, and the Research Institute, for providing funding for this research. We also thank Norma D'Agostino for her comments on an early version of this paper. We are most grateful to the families who agreed so generously to participate in this study at a highly stressful time.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    M Barrera, L-A Boyd Pringle, K Sumbler & F Saunders

  2. University of Toronto, Canada

    M Barrera & F Saunders

  3. York University, Canada

    L-A Boyd Pringle

Authors
  1. M Barrera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L-A Boyd Pringle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K Sumbler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. F Saunders
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barrera, M., Pringle, LA., Sumbler, K. et al. Quality of life and behavioral adjustment after pediatric bone marrow transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 26, 427–435 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1702527

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1702527

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links