Abstract

Objective

One of the peak incidences of childhood cancer is during the early childhood years. This is also an important time for psychosocial and personality development, and it is well known that early childhood temperament influences later psychosocial functioning. However, this association has not been examined in young children with cancer.

Methods

Parents of children with cancer (N = 39) and healthy comparisons (N = 35) completed an indicator of temperament (Children’s Behavior Questionnaire) when children were young (M_age=4.99 ± 1.05 years). Five years later, parents and youth completed measures of psychosocial functioning (M_age=10.15 ± 1.10 years; Behavior Assessment Scale for Children, 2nd edition and Social Emotional Assets and Resilience Scale).

Results

Parents of healthy comparisons reported that their children demonstrated greater surgency than youth with cancer; there were no differences in negative affect or effortful control. Children with cancer and healthy comparisons were rated similarly on measures of psychosocial functioning. Health status was not a significant predictor of later functioning, but socioeconomic status and temperament were. The influence of temperament was stronger for strengths-based functioning (e.g., social competence, adaptive functioning) versus distress (internalizing and externalizing problems).

Conclusions

Early childhood temperament is a strong predictor of later psychosocial functioning, regardless of health status. Findings highlight the need to consider temperament in the clinical assessment of psychosocial functioning in children with cancer. Additional research is needed to specifically assess how a diagnosis of cancer in early childhood influences temperament over time.

中文翻译：

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早期儿童气质对癌症青少年后期社会情感功能的影响

 抽象的

 客观的

儿童癌症的高发期之一是在儿童早期。这也是心理社会和人格发展的重要时期，众所周知，幼儿期的气质会影响以后的心理社会功能。然而，这种关联尚未在患有癌症的幼儿中得到检验。

 方法

癌症儿童（ N = 39）和健康儿童（ N = 35）的父母在孩子年幼时（ M_年龄= 4.99 ± 1.05岁）完成了气质指标（儿童行为问卷）。五年后，父母和青少年完成了社会心理功能测量（ M_年龄=10.15±1.10岁；儿童行为评估量表，第二版和社会情感资产和复原力量表）。

 结果

健康比较的父母报告说，他们的孩子比患有癌症的年轻人表现出更大的手术机会；负面情绪或努力控制方面没有差异。患有癌症的儿童和健康儿童在心理社会功能测量方面的评级相似。健康状况并不是后来功能的重要预测因素，但社会经济地位和气质却是。气质对基于优势的功能（例如，社交能力、适应性功能）的影响比对痛苦（内化和外化问题）的影响更大。

 结论

无论健康状况如何，幼儿期的气质都是以后心理社会功能的有力预测因素。研究结果强调，在癌症儿童心理社会功能的临床评估中需要考虑气质。需要进行更多的研究来专门评估儿童早期癌症的诊断如何随着时间的推移影响气质。