Nonbereaved Parents of Children Treated for Cancer.

Studies of parents of children treated for cancer have rarely included adequate samples of fathers or couples. Further, bereaved parents have been over-represented as compared to parents of cancer survivors. This study investigated the personal and interpersonal effects of having a child treated for cancer on 124 parents. Twenty-seven married couples were bereaved and 33 married couples were nonbereaved. Four bereaved parents without spouses were also included. All survivors had been off-treatment for at least 6 months and the average time since diagnosis was 6 years. Effects at the personal level-psychological distress-were assessed by self-report on one global scale and 7 subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Effects at the interpersonal level-marital satisfaction-were assessed by self-report on the summary scale and 2 factors of the Martial Adjustment Test. Mothers and fathers reported higher levels of psychological distress than nonpatient norms, but lower levels than outpatient psychiatri