Abstract

While the survival rate for children with cancer has increased markedly over the past 50 years, the side effects resulting from cancer and cancer treatment have become a major concern for health care providers and families alike. Survivors of childhood cancers are at risk for late occurring sequelae, called late effects, which are associated with disease, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Neurobehavioral late effects are some of the most debilitating late effects found, particularly in survivors of central nervous system (CNS) cancers. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of clinical and socio-demographic parenting factors on neurological late effects in Latino pediatric CNS cancer survivors. SEM was used to explore the hypothesis that higher parental knowledge, self-efficacy, pro-learning behaviors, and level of acculturation would have an impact on child neurocognitive function and health related quality of life in cancer survivor children. A sample of 73 Latino parents and caregivers were used in this sample. It was found that parent knowledge and self-efficacy indirectly impacted neurobehavioral late effects through child's quality of life. It was also found that more highly acculturated parents tended to display more pro-learning behaviors (help-seeking behaviors, knowledge of school and academics) than parents who were less acculturated.

LLU Discipline

Experimental Psychology

Department

Psychology

School

School of Science and Technology

First Advisor

Ropacki, Susan A.

Second Advisor

Hartman, Richard E.

Third Advisor

Boyd, Kendal C.

Fourth Advisor

Distelberg, Brian J.

Fifth Advisor

Patel, Sunita K.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

January 2011

Date (Title Page)

12-1-2011

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Psychology; AIDS (Disease); Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome;

Subject - Local

AIDS; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Cranial Radiation Therapy; Neurobehavioral Late Effects; Pediatric Cancer Survivors; Latino

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

102 p.

Digital Format

Application/PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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