Early Evidence of the Interplay between Separation Anxiety Symptoms and COVID-19-Related Worries in a Group of Children Diagnosed with Cancer and Their Mothers
Having cancer in childhood is a risk factor for separation anxiety symptoms, with negative effects on the disease and psychological wellbeing. The Covid-19-pandemic-related concerns could have a negative effect. The present study explores the interplay between separation anxiety symptoms and COVID-1...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Children |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/4/481 |
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| author | Chiara Dotto Maria Montanaro Silvia Spaggiari Valerio Cecinati Letizia Brescia Simona Insogna Livia Zuliani Paolo Grotto Cristina Pizzato Daniela Di Riso |
| author_facet | Chiara Dotto Maria Montanaro Silvia Spaggiari Valerio Cecinati Letizia Brescia Simona Insogna Livia Zuliani Paolo Grotto Cristina Pizzato Daniela Di Riso |
| author_sort | Chiara Dotto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Having cancer in childhood is a risk factor for separation anxiety symptoms, with negative effects on the disease and psychological wellbeing. The Covid-19-pandemic-related concerns could have a negative effect. The present study explores the interplay between separation anxiety symptoms and COVID-19-related worries in pediatric cancer patients and their mothers, compared to a group of healthy children and their mothers, during the pandemic. Thirty-three subjects with cancer, aged 7–15 years, and their mothers were compared to a control sample of 36 healthy children and caregivers. They were administered a pandemic-related psychological experience survey and standardized questionnaires assessing psychological wellbeing, anxiety, and separation anxiety symptoms. Children with cancer reported significantly higher prosocial behaviors, fear of being alone, and fear of abandonment. Their mothers had worse psychological wellbeing, higher COVID-19 concerns, anxiety, and separation anxiety symptoms. The multiple linear regression model showed that an increase in children’s separation anxiety symptoms was associated with younger age, more recent diagnosis, more mother-child time, lower mothers’ worry for children’s contagion, and higher mothers’ and children’s anxiety. COVID-19-related worries of clinical children’s mothers seem to be protective for children’s psychological wellbeing. Early psychosocial support interventions for mothers are essential in health services for cancer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:01:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-79123e5596f74c458f7155d8dec73384 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:01:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-79123e5596f74c458f7155d8dec733842023-12-01T01:17:55ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672022-04-019448110.3390/children9040481Early Evidence of the Interplay between Separation Anxiety Symptoms and COVID-19-Related Worries in a Group of Children Diagnosed with Cancer and Their MothersChiara Dotto0Maria Montanaro1Silvia Spaggiari2Valerio Cecinati3Letizia Brescia4Simona Insogna5Livia Zuliani6Paolo Grotto7Cristina Pizzato8Daniela Di Riso9Department of Developmental and Socialization Psychology (DPSS), University of Padua, 35131 Padova, ItalyComplex Structure of Pediatrics and Pediatric Oncohematology “Nadia Toffa”, Central Hospital Santissima Annunziata, 74121 Taranto, ItalyDepartment of Developmental and Socialization Psychology (DPSS), University of Padua, 35131 Padova, ItalyComplex Structure of Pediatrics and Pediatric Oncohematology “Nadia Toffa”, Central Hospital Santissima Annunziata, 74121 Taranto, ItalyComplex Structure of Pediatrics and Pediatric Oncohematology “Nadia Toffa”, Central Hospital Santissima Annunziata, 74121 Taranto, ItalyComplex Structure of Pediatrics and Pediatric Oncohematology “Nadia Toffa”, Central Hospital Santissima Annunziata, 74121 Taranto, ItalySimple Structure of Pediatric Oncohematology, Treviso Hospital, ULSS2 Marca Trevigiana, 31100 Treviso, ItalySimple Structure of Pediatric Oncohematology, Treviso Hospital, ULSS2 Marca Trevigiana, 31100 Treviso, ItalySimple Structure of Pediatric Oncohematology, Treviso Hospital, ULSS2 Marca Trevigiana, 31100 Treviso, ItalyDepartment of Developmental and Socialization Psychology (DPSS), University of Padua, 35131 Padova, ItalyHaving cancer in childhood is a risk factor for separation anxiety symptoms, with negative effects on the disease and psychological wellbeing. The Covid-19-pandemic-related concerns could have a negative effect. The present study explores the interplay between separation anxiety symptoms and COVID-19-related worries in pediatric cancer patients and their mothers, compared to a group of healthy children and their mothers, during the pandemic. Thirty-three subjects with cancer, aged 7–15 years, and their mothers were compared to a control sample of 36 healthy children and caregivers. They were administered a pandemic-related psychological experience survey and standardized questionnaires assessing psychological wellbeing, anxiety, and separation anxiety symptoms. Children with cancer reported significantly higher prosocial behaviors, fear of being alone, and fear of abandonment. Their mothers had worse psychological wellbeing, higher COVID-19 concerns, anxiety, and separation anxiety symptoms. The multiple linear regression model showed that an increase in children’s separation anxiety symptoms was associated with younger age, more recent diagnosis, more mother-child time, lower mothers’ worry for children’s contagion, and higher mothers’ and children’s anxiety. COVID-19-related worries of clinical children’s mothers seem to be protective for children’s psychological wellbeing. Early psychosocial support interventions for mothers are essential in health services for cancer.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/4/481children with cancerpsychological functioningCOVID-19-related worriesseparation anxiety |
| spellingShingle | Chiara Dotto Maria Montanaro Silvia Spaggiari Valerio Cecinati Letizia Brescia Simona Insogna Livia Zuliani Paolo Grotto Cristina Pizzato Daniela Di Riso Early Evidence of the Interplay between Separation Anxiety Symptoms and COVID-19-Related Worries in a Group of Children Diagnosed with Cancer and Their Mothers Children children with cancer psychological functioning COVID-19-related worries separation anxiety |
| title | Early Evidence of the Interplay between Separation Anxiety Symptoms and COVID-19-Related Worries in a Group of Children Diagnosed with Cancer and Their Mothers |
| title_full | Early Evidence of the Interplay between Separation Anxiety Symptoms and COVID-19-Related Worries in a Group of Children Diagnosed with Cancer and Their Mothers |
| title_fullStr | Early Evidence of the Interplay between Separation Anxiety Symptoms and COVID-19-Related Worries in a Group of Children Diagnosed with Cancer and Their Mothers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early Evidence of the Interplay between Separation Anxiety Symptoms and COVID-19-Related Worries in a Group of Children Diagnosed with Cancer and Their Mothers |
| title_short | Early Evidence of the Interplay between Separation Anxiety Symptoms and COVID-19-Related Worries in a Group of Children Diagnosed with Cancer and Their Mothers |
| title_sort | early evidence of the interplay between separation anxiety symptoms and covid 19 related worries in a group of children diagnosed with cancer and their mothers |
| topic | children with cancer psychological functioning COVID-19-related worries separation anxiety |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/4/481 |
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