Well-being, Self-transcendence, and Resilience of Parental Caregivers of Children in Active Cancer Treatment: Where Do We Go From Here?

BACKGROUND: Childhood cancer profoundly impacts the well-being of many parental caregivers in the United States yearly. Empirical evidence is extensive for negative well-being and scarce for positive well-being in this population. OBJECTIVE: Study aims were to (1) describe resilience, self-transcendence, and positive (general well-being) and negative well-being (depression and anxiety); (2) examine if caregiver-related personal factors (resilience and/or demographic characteristics) and/or child-related contextual factors (child's cancer and/or demographic characteristics) are associated with well-being; and (3) test if self-transcendence mediates the relationship between resilience and well-being. METHODS: A cross-sectional study whereby 80 caregivers of children diagnosed with childhood cancer for at least 2 months completed study questionnaires. Descriptive statistics explored sample demographics, well-being, self-transcendence, and resilience levels. Bivariate correlations examined factors associated with well-being. One-way analysis of variance and independent-samples t tests explored differences in well-being across levels of independent variables. Baron and Kenny's mediation analysis tested if self-transcendence mediated the relationship between resilience and well-being. RESULTS: Positive well-being and negative well-being coexist in parental caregivers. No child-related contextual factors related to caregivers' well-being. Parental caregivers' resilience and self-transcendence positively related to their general well-being and negatively related to their depression and anxiety. Satisfaction with current financial status positively related to general well-being and negatively related to depression. Self-transcendence mediated the relationship between resilience and well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Findings confirm the importance of focusing on both positive and negative well-being, their associated factors, and mediators. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The authors discuss practice implications to enhance self-transcendence such as journaling, mindfulness techniques, activities to connect with nature, and others.

Association between Pain Sensitivity, Central Sensitization, and Functional Disability in Adolescents With Joint Hypermobility.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between pain sensitivity, central sensitization, and functional disability in adolescents with joint hypermobility. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive design was utilized for this study. A sample of 40 adolescents being evaluated for chronic pain and autonomic nervous system dysfunction were recruited. Subjects were evaluated for pain, function, central sensitization, and sensitivity on pain and touch sensory nerve fiber types. Data were analyzed to detect associations between variables. RESULTS: Joint hypermobility had a moderately significant correlation with central sensitization measured by the Central Sensitization Inventory, as well as increased pain sensitivity as evidenced by hypersensitivity of Aδ sensory nerve fibers. The presence of central sensitization was also positively associated with level of functional disability. CONCLUSIONS: Findings implicate joint hypermobility as a possible antecedent to pain hypersensitivity and central sensitization syndromes that when recognized and addressed effectively may reduce functional disability in those affected. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: It is important for pediatric nurses that work with adolescents that have chronic pain to understand variables that may impact pain and functional disability in order to develop methods to increase function, reduce pain, and increase perceived quality of life.

Central Sensitization in Functional Chronic Pain Syndromes: Overview and Clinical Application.

The purpose of this review and clinical application article is to offer nurses up-to-date knowledge on peripheral and central sensitization in chronic functional pain syndromes, and to discuss therapies that have shown efficacy in treating various aspects of these disorders. Central sensitization is a result of changes in the peripheral and central nervous system due to noxious stimuli, such as illness or trauma. Once these changes occur, treatment for the associated syndromes requires a multimodal approach that includes behavioral pain psychology, physical therapy, and pharmacological agents that specifically target neuroinflammation, pain modulation, and amplification of pain pathways. More research needs to be conducted on the basis and patient perception of functional pain syndromes to reduce the morbidity and significant disability associated with these illnesses. Nurses have the opportunity to be at the forefront of this research because of their holistic and multidimensional approach to patient care, assessment, and symptom management.

Weight change during childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia induction therapy predicts obesity: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a well documented problem associated with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with increasing body mass index often observed during therapy. This study aims to evaluate if weight gain, early in therapy, is predictive of obesity at the end of treatment. PROCEDURE: In this secondary analysis, data from 1,017 high-risk ALL patients previously treated on a Children's Oncology Group protocol (CCG study 1961) were reviewed. Logistic regression was used to examine whether change in BMI z-score at Induction or Delayed Intensification (DI) 1 were predictive of obesity at the end of therapy. RESULTS: The BMI z-score at the beginning of Induction and the change in BMI z-score during Induction were both significant predictors of obesity at the end of therapy. The change in BMI z-score during cycle 1 of DI was not found to be associated with obesity. CONCLUSIONS: It is well know that obesity at the beginning of therapy is predictive of obesity at the end of ALL therapy. The new, and more important, finding from this study is that even after adjusting for baseline weight, the increase in BMI z-scores during induction was an independent predictor of obesity at the end of therapy. Most researchers agree that prevention is the best form of treatment for obesity as it is difficult to reverse once it is present. This study suggests that monitoring weight trends during Induction may be useful in guiding healthcare practitioners in identifying which patients are at highest risk for obesity development so that early intervention may occur.

Longitudinal evaluation of fine motor skills in children with leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Improved survival for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) has allowed investigators to focus on the adverse or side effects of treatment and to develop interventions that promote cure while decreasing the long-term effects of therapy. Although much attention has been given to the significant neurocognitive sequelae that can occur after ALL therapy, limited investigation is found addressing fine motor function in these children and motor function that may contribute to neurocognitive deficits in ALL survivors. METHODS: Fine motor and sensory-perceptual performances were examined in 82 children with ALL within 6-months of diagnosis and annually for 2 years (year 1 and year 2, respectively) during therapy. RESULTS: Purdue Pegboard assessments indicated significant slowing of fine motor speed and dexterity for the dominant hand, nondominant hand, and both hands simultaneously for children in this study. Mean Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) scores for children with low-risk and high-risk ALL decreased from the first evaluation to year 1 and again at year 2. Mean VMI scores for children with standard risk ALL increased from the first evaluation to year 1 and then decreased at year 2. Significant positive correlations were found between the Purdue and the VMI at both year 1 and year 2, suggesting that the Pegboard performance consistently predicts the later decline in visual-motor integration. Significant correlations were found between the Purdue Pegboard at baseline and the Performance IQ during year 1, though less consistently during year 2. A similar pattern was also observed between the baseline Pegboard performance and performance on the Coding and Symbol Search subtests during year 1 and year 2. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, children with ALL experienced significant and persistent visual-motor problems throughout therapy. These problems continued during the first and second years of treatment. These basic processing skills are necessary to the development of higher-level cognitive abilities, including nonverbal intelligence and academic achievement, particularly in arithmetic and written language.