Predicting quality of life of children with cancer by parent's personality and coping

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to design a structural equation model (SEM) to predict the quality of the life of children with cancer based on parent's personality and coping styles. Methods: 112 Children with cancer who referred to mahak hospital from May to July 2016 were included. Research instruments were PedsQL-Cancer Module, Big Five Personality Questionnaire-Short Form and brief COPE scale. SEM was used by Lisrel along with regression analysis by SPSS. Findings: It showed that the path of extroversion with mediating role of problem-focused coping (T=-6/639) and emotion-focused coping (T=3/276) on children quality of life is statistically significant (p<0/01) and can predict 42.7% of variance of children quality of life. As the second path, extroversion (T=3/519), neuroticism (T=-3/364), openness (T=3/403) and conscientious (T=3/015) predicted 48% of the variance of the problem-focused coping style. As well, only neuroticism (T=6/51) can predict 27.8% of the variance of emotion-focused coping. Discussion: According our model, interventions targeting coping styles of parents could increase significantly the quality of life of children with cancer. As well, personality traits of parents have impact on children quality of life by changing coping of parents; so parents' personality should be considered specially in family-based interventions to change their coping as a predictor of children quality of life.