The desire for children among adult survivors of childhood cancer: Psychometric evaluation of a cancer‐specific questionnaire and relations with sociodemographic and psychological characteristics

Publikationstyp:
Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Metadaten:
Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Objective</jats:title><jats:p>Long‐term childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are less likely to become parents than their peers of the same age. Previous research has suggested that besides fertility, this outcome is shaped by psychosocial factors such as emotional motives toward having a child. Drawing from a sample of CCS with survival times &gt;25 years, we present the validation of a questionnaire assessing cancer‐specific reproductive motives and concerns.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>We evaluated the cancer‐specific version of the Leipzig Questionnaire of Motives to have a Child (LKM‐C) in a register‐based sample of adult CCS (<jats:italic>N</jats:italic> = 632, 31% had children, 44.5% women). We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis and tested associations with sociodemographic characteristics and psychological symptoms (PHQ‐9, GAD‐2).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>The questionnaire showed good item discrimination parameters and reliability (<jats:bold><jats:italic>α</jats:italic></jats:bold> = 0.86). The two‐factorial structure was confirmed with the independent scales “return to normalcy” and “illness‐related worries (child's/own health).” On average, CCS reported more motives in favor of a child than worries (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> &lt; .001; <jats:italic>d</jats:italic> = 1.12). Favorable attitudes were associated with the presence of a partnership and children, stronger current desire for a child, and fewer depressive symptoms. Worries were associated with an unfulfilled desire to have a child and elevated levels of depression and anxiety symptoms.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p>The LKM‐C offers a brief measure of parenthood motivations in long‐term CCS. Having a child signifies return to normalcy, health, fulfillment of life perspectives, and enrichment of the partnership. Less intense worries included illnesses of the child and concerns regarding one's own health. The questionnaire could inform follow‐up care, psychotherapy, and fertility treatments.</jats:p></jats:sec>
Autoren
  • Mareike Ernst
  • Elmar Brähler
  • Philipp S Wild
  • Jörg Faber
  • Hiltrud Merzenich
  • Manfred E Beutel
DOI
10.1002/pon.5285
eISSN
1099-1611
ISSN
1057-9249
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
3
Zeitschrift
Psycho-Oncology
Sprache
en
Online publication date
2019
Paginierung
485 - 492
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2020
Status
Published
Herausgeber
Wiley
Herausgeber URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pon.5285
Datum der Datenerfassung
2023
Titel
The desire for children among adult survivors of childhood cancer: Psychometric evaluation of a cancer‐specific questionnaire and relations with sociodemographic and psychological characteristics
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
29

Datenquelle: Crossref

Andere Metadatenquellen:
Author's licence
CC-BY-NC
Autoren
  • Mareike Ernst
  • Elmar Brähler
  • Philipp S Wild
  • Jörg Faber
  • Hiltrud Merzenich
  • Manfred E Beutel
Hosting institution
Universitätsbibliothek Mainz
Sammlungen
  • JGU-Publikationen
Resource version
Published version
DOI
10.1002/pon.5285
File(s) embargoed
false
Open access
true
ISSN
1099-1611
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
3
Zeitschrift
Psycho-oncology
Schlüsselwörter
  • 610 Medizin
  • 610 Medical sciences
Sprache
eng
Open access status
Open Access
Paginierung
485 - 492
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2020
Public URL
https://openscience.ub.uni-mainz.de/handle/20.500.12030/7109
Herausgeber
Wiley
Datum der Datenerfassung
2022
Datum, an dem der Datensatz öffentlich gemacht wurde
2022
Zugang
Public
Titel
The desire for children among adult survivors of childhood cancer : psychometric evaluation of a cancer-specific questionnaire and relations with sociodemographic and psychological characteristics
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
29

Files

the_desire_for_children_among-20220608114235884.pdf

Datenquelle: OPENSCIENCE.UB

Werkzeuge