Adjustment in the Peer System of Adolescents with Cancer: A Two-Year Study

Evaluated the psychosocial adaptations of adolescents with cancer who were primarily off treatment (n = 19, ages 11-18) as compared with matched classroom controls in a 2-year longitudinal study on indices of (a) teacher, peer, and self-perceptions of social reputation; (b) multiple measures of popularity and friendships; and (c) self-reported feelings of loneliness, depression, and self-concept. Adolescents with cancer continued to have a social reputation as being more socially isolated, but no significant differences were identified on multiple measures of social acceptance or the self-reported feelings. In general, adolescents with cancer were similar to peers on numerous dimensions of psychological functioning manifesting minimal discernable psychosocial late effects.