Posttraumatic growth among childhood cancer survivors and their caregivers: associations with rumination and beliefs challenge

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between PTG, challenge to core beliefs, intrusive and deliberate rumination in a sample of 43 dyads of childhood cancer survivors and their caregivers. Methods: Survivors (mean age = 17.04; SD=3.67) and caregivers (mean age = 46.84; SD = 8.32) completed the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Core Beliefs Inventory (CBI) and the Event-related Rumination Inventory (ERRI). Results: Results showed a positive and high correlation among PTG, CBI, and ERRI in both groups, separately. CBI was the main predictor of PTG both among survivors (β=0.826; t=9.393; R²=0.683; p≤0.001) and caregivers (β=0.552; t=4.235; R²=0.304; p≤0.001). Caregivers reported higher scores than survivors in PTG (t=-2.999 p≤0.01) and its dimensions Relationship with others (t=2.498; p≤0.05), Spiritual change (t=-15.823; p≤0.001), Life appreciation (t=-3.129; <p≤0.01), as well as the means for intrusive (t=-3.862; p≤0.001) and deliberate rumination (t=-3.113; p≤0.01). Discussion: Caregivers are more involved in cognitive processes and reported higher PTG than survivors. This can be probably related to the concomitance between the period of disease and the cognitive development process of the survivors.