Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Children and Parents Shortly After Pediatric Brain Tumor Diagnosis: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Background Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are high amongst survivors of pediatric brain tumors and their parents; however, early prevalence is unknown. This study aimed to get insight into the prevalence and risk factors of child and parental PTSS shortly after diagnosis. Procedures Sixty‐five children with brain tumors (6–16 years old) and their parents participated. The prevalence of clinical child PTSS (CRIES‐13 self‐ and proxy‐report) and parental PTSS (PCL‐5) was assessed 1–3 months after diagnosis, and compared to the general population (PCL‐5; binomial test). Pearson's correlations between child and parental PTSS were calculated. Risk factors were explored with linear regression analyses (psychosocial risk assessed through PAT). Results Clinical child PTSS scores were reported by 29.4% of the children (self‐report) and 11.1% of their parents (proxy‐report). Prevalence of clinical parental PTSS was not significantly higher than in the general population (mothers: 12.1%, p = 0.07; fathers: 6.0%, p = 0.20). Self‐reported child PTSS scores were associated with proxy‐reported child PTSS scores ( r = 0.49, p < 0.001), but not with parental PTSS scores (mother r = 0.22, father r = 0.18). No associations were found between demographic factors and child or parental PTSS. Shorter time since diagnosis was associated with more self‐reported child PTSS ( β = −0.45, p = 0.01). Starting radiotherapy was associated with more mother PTSS ( β = 1.04, p < 0.003). Family psychosocial risk was associated with more child PTSS (self‐report β = 0.82, p = 0.02; proxy‐report β = 0.81, p = 0.02) and mother PTSS ( β = 1.33, p < 0.001). Conclusions Prevalence of PTSS in children with recently diagnosed brain tumors was high, highlighting the need for early psychosocial monitoring and targeted interventions to optimize health‐related quality of life.