Internalized stigma among pediatric patients with osteosarcoma and retinoblastoma in Guatemala, Jordan, and Zimbabwe

Our results demonstrate that internalized stigma impacts pediatric cancer patients from the time of diagnosis, highlighting the relevance of the ABC model in understanding this complex phenomenon. Our findings suggest CBT-based interventions that target patient beliefs, address identified activating events, and enhance multilevel support could help mitigate internalized stigma in pediatric cancer patients. Additional research should explore the efficacy of such interventions, the transferability of our findings to children with other cancer diagnoses and to various geographies, as well as how internalized stigma evolves across the cancer continuum.