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Childhood cancer has long-term implications for survivors and their family members. While the impact of cancer on the family continues into adulthood, little research exists on family related issues during this important developmental period. In order to advance our understanding of families of adolescent and young adult (AYA) childhood cancer survivors, a measure of health-related beliefs for parents of AYA cancer survivors was developed. Exploratory factor analysis based on the mothers' data was used to identify four factors among 23 items: Social Competence, Satisfaction with Healthcare, Health Perceptions, and Health Apprehension. The scales are associated with psychological distress, quality of life, and posttraumatic stress symptoms but unrelated to age of the child at diagnosis and cancer treatment intensity. The beliefs identified in this study are consistent with clinical observations of families of young adult survivors and provide indications for the importance of ongoing attention to the families of childhood cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To guide assessment and intervention for patients and families, a model for assessing and treating pediatric medical traumatic stress (PMTS) is presented that integrates the literature across pediatric conditions. Methods A model with three general phases is outlined—I, peritrauma; II, early, ongoing, and evolving responses; and III, longer-term PMTS. Relevant literature for each is reviewed and discussed with respect to implications for intervention for patients and families. Results Commonalities across conditions, the range of normative responses to potentially traumatic events (PTEs), the importance of preexisting psychological well-being, developmental considerations, and a social ecological orientation are highlighted. Conclusions Growing empirical support exists to guide the development of assessment and intervention related to PMTS for patients with pediatric illness and their parents. The need for interventions across the course of pediatric illness and injury that target patients, families, and/or healthcare teams is apparent. The model provides a basis for further development of evidence-based treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family psychology, at its heart, is about context and the importance of relationships as the nexus for growth and development. Families are complex and diverse, they encompass the life span and interface with multiple systems that reciprocally influence well-being. The well-being of individuals is rooted in families. There is a large literature across the life span that pertains to the mental and physical health and well-being of family members, along with a more specific literature that evaluates the impact of mental and physical health concerns in a more targeted fashion. The society is ethnically, culturally, and socioeconomically diverse. It is crucial for family psychology to reflect this diversity and promote an understanding of the heterogeneity of families. An ongoing emphasis on major normative and unexpected contextual transitions across the life span, including marriage, couplehood, separation, divorce, remarriage, children, death, relocation, and employment, among others, is critical to comprehensively reflect the concerns of family psychology.