Peer-reviewed article

The Silent Impact of Parental Cancer on Children’s Psychosocial Well-Being

Nayır E, Ata N, Toros F, Gökboğa R, Çelik A et al. · 7 Sept 2026

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: While a substantial body of research has examined the psychosocial status of children affected by pediatric malignancies, studies investigating the psychological well-being of children whose parents have cancer remain markedly limited. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of emotional and behavioral problems in children whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the medical oncology outpatient clinics between February and April 2025. The study included 73 children with a parent diagnosed with cancer (case group) and 59 age- and sex-matched healthy children as controls, ranging in age from 8 to 16 years. All participants completed the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). Demographic and clinical variables recorded included age, sex, parental sex and age, educational level of the child and parent, disease duration and severity, and number of siblings. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of age, gender, education level, parent's age, gender, education level, and number of siblings (p > 0.05). The case group exhibited significantly elevated anxiety (p < 0.05) and depression scores (p = 0.002), along with higher total scale scores (p < 0.001), in comparison to the control group. Correlation analyses revealed weak but statistically significant positive correlations between age and total anxiety, depression, and total score in the case group (p = 0.010). Further examination of anxiety subdimensions showed similarly weak yet significant correlations with PaD, SAD, and OCD (p < 0.001). The females within the case group exhibited significantly higher anxiety (p = 0.030) and depression (p = 0.035) scores, and higher total scale score (p = 0.025) compared to males. Significant differences were observed in anxiety scores (p = 0.018) and total scale scores (p = 0.047) according to parental education level, with the highest scores consistently found among children whose parents held a master’s degree. No significant differences were observed in anxiety, depression, or total scale scores according to the child’s educational level, parent age, whether the patient was the father or the mother, disease duration and severity, and sibling status. Conclusion: Children of parents with cancer are significantly affected by their parent’s illness. These children must be considered within the framework of a comprehensive approach to cancer care. Importantly, their need for psychosocial support and rehabilitation may be at least as great as that of the patients themselves.