Anxiety and its correlates among young adults with a history of parental cancer

ABSTRACT

Purpose: We assessed whether experiencing parental cancer during childhood was associated with anxiety levels during young adulthood—and whether parental survival status moderated anxiety or related psychosocial outcomes. Methods: Young adults who experienced parental cancer during their childhood (n = 68) and those who did not (n = 298) completed measures of current anxiety and family functioning. The parental cancer group completed measures of social support and life changes during the parental cancer and posttraumatic growth. Results: Young adults who experienced parental cancer endorsed higher state and trait anxiety than matched controls. Higher anxiety correlated with less current family cohesion and lower past social support satisfaction. Parental cancer outcome moderated the relationship between current anxiety and dimensions of posttraumatic growth and predicted the number of cancer-related life changes. Conclusion: Experiencing parental cancer during childhood predicted higher reported anxiety during young adulthood. Anxiety levels were partially moderated by parental survival status.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescent/young adult
• anxiety/depression
• behavioral health
• family
• quality of life

Declaration of interest

The authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Funding

This research was supported by funding to Dr. Greer from Williams College and to Dr. Arch from the American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant 15-020-01-CPPB.