Factors Influencing Depressive Symptoms of Children Treated for a Brain Tumor

OBJECTIVES: To examine depressive symptoms in children treated for a brain tumor and related clinical, demographic and personal factors. METHODS: Fifty-four children with brain tumors (32 males) aged 8.2-18.3 years participated. Standardized measures assessed depressive symptoms, social skills, self-worth and IQ. Clinical (treatment) and demographic variables (gender) were also examined. RESULTS: Depression scores were subjected to a 2 (gender), X 2 (social skills: low, high), X 3 (self-worth: low, average, high) ANCOVA with IQ as the covariate. Significant main effects of gender and of self-worth and an interaction between gender, social skills, and self-worth were observed. Gender was identified as a moderator of the effect of social skills and self-worth on depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Gender, social skills, and self-worth play important roles in the depressive symptoms of pediatric brain tumor patients.