Indicadores de alteraciones emocionales y conductuales en menores oncológicos

Abstract

PURPOSE: This paper shows the emotional and behavioural correlates of a sample of 50 children cancer patients and analyzes the differences between active treatment and revision. METHOD: We analyze a sample of 50 children with cancer though a short form of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the majority of the sample are lymphoblastic acute leukaemia (32%) and central nervous system (30%) patients. This questionnaire allows to estimate indicators of affective problems, anxiety, attention- deficit/hyperactivity, oppositional defiant behavior, behavioural problems and somatic complaints. RESULTS: The results indicate that there are not differences between the majority of emotional and behavioural problems, referred by parents, according to the treatment phase (active treatment vs. revision). Between 10 38% of oncology children presents moderate or severe psychological alterations. Between 6-24% shows light psychopathology indicators. Specifically, children present mostly (according to the parents perceptions) anxiety problems, somatic complaints and affective problems. Then, they present behavioural problems followed by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. CONCLUSIONS: We don’t fi nd statistical differences in the majority of the assessed problems. The global sample of children present mainly internalizing disorders (highs levels of anxiety and depression).