Relationships among resilience, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and quality of life in children with cancer

Psychooncology. 2021 Feb;30(2):194-201. doi: 10.1002/pon.5548. Epub 2020 Sep 17.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the interrelationships among resilience, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms and determine whether resilience was a factor associated with quality of life for Hong Kong Chinese children with cancer.

Methods: We used a cross-sectional study design. Participants were 138 Hong Kong Chinese children (aged 7-14 years) who were admitted to the pediatric oncology units of an acute public hospital. The resilience, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and quality of life of participating children were assessed. The primary outcome was the association between resilience and quality of life in children with cancer.

Results: In total, 72 boys and 66 girls were recruited for this study (mean age 10.6 years). The mean levels of resilience, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and quality of life were 23.4, 30.0, 23.0, and 63.6, respectively. There was a statistically significant strong positive correlation between resilience and quality of life (r = 0.60, p < 0.01), indicating that greater resilience was associated with better quality of life. Children with cancer from single-parent families, those diagnosed with a brain tumor, and those who received multiple treatments reported significantly lower levels of resilience, self-esteem, and quality of life, and greater depressive symptoms than other children (all p's < 0.001). Results of a multiple regression analysis revealed that resilience (p < 0.001) was a strong factor associated with quality of life among children with cancer.

Conclusions: It is essential that healthcare professionals implement interventions to boost the resilience of children with cancer, thereby enhancing their quality of life.

Keywords: Chinese; cancer; children; depressive symptoms; psycho-oncology; quality of life; resilience; self-esteem.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Female
  • Hong Kong
  • Hospital Units
  • Hospitalization
  • Hospitals, Public
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasms / psychology*
  • Neoplasms / therapy
  • Quality of Life / psychology*
  • Resilience, Psychological*
  • Self Concept*