Long-Term Adaptation Among Adolescent and Young Adult Children to Familial Cancer Risk.

Background: It is important to examine adolescent and young adult (AYA) children's long-term psychosocial and behavioral adaptation to disclosure of maternal BRCA-positive carrier status (BRCA+) to inform approaches for familial cancer risk communication, education, and counseling.

Methods: Mothers underwent BRCA genetic testing 1 to 5 years earlier. Group differences in AYAs' self-reported outcomes were analyzed by maternal health and carrier status, and child age and sex.

Advancing health equity in pediatric cancer through implementation of universal family psychosocial risk screening.

Background: Unaddressed psychosocial risks may contribute to disparities in cancer care outcomes and may be addressed by early psychosocial risk screening. In a study implementing universal family psychosocial risk screening in 18 children's cancer programs in the United States, parents, clinicians, and organizational leaders described the importance of universal screening to health equity.

Purposes: The purposes of this study were to (1) describe the perspectives of parents, clinicians, and organizational leaders regarding the importance of universal family psychosocial risk screening in childhood cancer care and (2) identify barriers and facilitators to improving health equity and decreasing health disparities in childhood cancer through universal family psychosocial screening.

Improving our model of cascade testing for hereditary cancer risk by leveraging patient peer support: a concept report.

Consensus and evidence suggest that cascade testing is critical to achieve the promise of cancer genetic testing. However, barriers to cascade testing include effective family communication of genetic risk information and family members' ability to cope with genetic risk. These barriers are further complicated by the developmental needs of unaffected family members during critical windows for family communication and adaptation.

Multiple approaches to enhancing cancer communication in the next decade: translating research into practice and policy.

Communicating risk and other health information in a clear, understandable, and actionable manner is critical for the prevention and control of cancer, as well as the care of affected individuals and their family members. However, the swift pace of development in communication technologies has dramatically changed the health communication landscape. This digital era presents new opportunities and challenges for cancer communication research and its impact on practice and policy.

Using qualitative and participatory methods to refine implementation strategies: universal family psychosocial screening in pediatric cancer.

Background: Children with cancer and their families are at risk for short- and long-term psychosocial difficulties. Screening for psychosocial risk remains inconsistent, leading to inequitable access to psychosocial services. The Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT) is an evidence-based caregiver report screener of family psychosocial risk ready for implementation in a nationwide cluster randomized trial that will test two implementation strategies across 18 pediatric cancer centers.

Prevalence and predictors of cancer-related worry and associations with health behaviors in adult survivors of childhood cancer.

Background: Cancer-related worry (CRW) is common among cancer survivors; however, little is known about factors associated with CRW or its impact on health behaviors in adult survivors of childhood cancer.

Methods: Survivors in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study (n = 3211; 51% male; mean age, 31.

COVID-19 Exposure and Family Impact Scales: Factor Structure and Initial Psychometrics.

Objective: In response to the rapidly unfolding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in spring 2020, we developed a caregiver-report measure to understand the extent to which children and families were exposed to events related to COVID-19 and their perceptions of its impact. This article reports on the factor structure and psychometric properties of this measure.

Methods: The COVID-19 Exposure and Family Impact Scales (CEFIS) were developed by a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional team using a rapid iterative process.

Associations Among Perceived Parent and Peer Support, Self-Esteem, and Cancer-Related Worry in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors.

Cancer-related worry is common among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors, and is associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes. Thus, it is crucial to identify possible modifiable covariates of cancer-related worry to aid in developing targeted interventions. This study aimed to explore the cross-sectional associations between cancer-related worry and potential covariates (i.

The relationship between cancer-related worry and posttraumatic growth in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.

Objectives: To examine cancer-related worry in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors and its relationship with posttraumatic growth over time, as the relationship between these constructs has not been assessed longitudinally in this population.

Methods: A total of 153 AYA cancer survivors completed measures of cancer-related worry and posttraumatic growth 3 times across approximately 1 year. Descriptive statistics were calculated for cancer-related worry items, and mixed-effects modeling assessed the relationship between cancer-related worry and posttraumatic growth.

A qualitative study of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors' perceptions of family and peer support.

This qualitative study examined adolescent and young adult survivors' perceptions of support from family and peers. A total of 26 survivors, aged 16-24 years, who had been diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 14 and 18, participated in semi-structured interviews. Three themes emerged for support: practical support, emotional support, and new sense of closeness.

Cancer Victim Identity for Individuals with Histories of Cancer and Childhood Sexual Abuse.

Identifying as a 'cancer victim' has been linked to adverse psychosocial sequelae in individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer. Being a childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivor may predispose individuals towards a "victim" identity in general. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of identifying as a 'cancer victim' among CSA survivors who were diagnosed with cancer as adults, and to explore psychological factors associated with identification as a cancer victim.

Anxiety Among Adolescent Survivors of Pediatric Cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to synthesize current knowledge about anxiety among adolescent survivors of pediatric cancer and highlights areas for future research.

Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted in five databases for articles published anytime before December 28, 2015. Manuscripts were reviewed by a team of six coders.

Perceived Family Functioning Predicts Baseline Psychosocial Characteristics in U.S. Participants of a Family Focused Grief Therapy Trial.

Context And Objectives: Screening and baseline data on 170 American families (620 individuals), selected by screening from a palliative care population for inclusion in a randomized controlled trial of family-focused grief therapy, were examined to determine whether family dysfunction conferred higher levels of psychosocial morbidity. We hypothesized that greater family dysfunction would, indeed, be associated with poorer psychosocial outcomes among palliative care patients and their family members.

Methods: Screened families were classified according to their functioning on the Family Relationships Index (FRI) and consented families completed baseline assessments.

Psychosocial outcomes and interventions among cancer survivors diagnosed during adolescence and young adulthood (AYA): a systematic review.

Purpose: A cancer diagnosis during adolescence or young adulthood (AYA; defined as ages 15-39) generates unique medical and psychosocial needs as developmental milestones are simultaneously impacted. Past research highlights that AYAs' experiences and psychosocial outcomes are different, and more research and attention is needed. We aimed to identify and synthesize literature regarding psychosocial outcomes, unique needs, and existing psychosocial interventions pertaining to individuals diagnosed with cancer exclusively during AYA, and to highlight areas for future research.

A systematic review of ovarian cancer and fear of recurrence.

Objective: To assess demographic, medical, and psychological factors that are associated with fear of recurrence (FCR) in ovarian cancer patients.

Method: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. For PubMed, a search using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) was run, as well as a text-word search from 1990 to July of 2014.

Anxiety among adolescent survivors of pediatric cancer: A missing link in the survivorship literature.

Objective: With growing numbers of pediatric cancer survivors, it is becoming increasingly important to investigate the psychosocial sequelae of surviving cancer diagnosed during childhood or adolescence. It is particularly important to study the psychosocial needs of adolescent survivors of pediatric cancer because adolescence is a critical time during psychosocial development. Although there is existent literature about the general psychosocial adjustment of this population, the literature regarding anxiety is scant.