The following is a summary of “Cognitive-behavioral stress management relieves anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder in parents of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia patients: a randomized, controlled study,” published in the December 2023 issue of Hematology by Wang et al.
Cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBSM) equips individuals with skills to address stress and its emotional and physical impacts.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the effectiveness of CBSM in mitigating anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among parents facing the challenges of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnoses.
They randomized a total of 56 pediatric AML patients and 100 parents into the CBSM group (28 patients and 49 parents) and the normal control (NC) group (28 patients and 51 parents) for respective 10-week interventions. Scores were assessed using M0, M1, M3, and M6 questionnaires.
The results showed a decrease in the self-rating anxiety scale score at M1 (P=0.034), M3 (P=0.010), and M6 (P=0.003), as well as anxiety at M3 (P=0.036) and M6 (P=0.012) in the CBSM group compared to the NC group. Depression scores (M3 P=0.022, M6 P=0.002) decreased in the CBSM group versus the NC group, as did depression at M6 (P=0.019). Symptom checklist-90 (a psychotic status questionnaire) score at M3 (P=0.031) and M6 (P=0.019) also decreased in the CBSM group versus the NC group. Regarding PTSD, the impact of the event’s scale-revised score at M3 (P=0.044) and M6 (P=0.010) decreased in the CBSM group versus the NC group. CBSM significantly improved outcomes in parents with anxiety and depression at M0 (all P< 0.050) but had no effect on those without anxiety or depression at M0 (all P>0.050).
They concluded that parents of kids with AML found relief from anxiety, depression, and PTSD thanks to mindfulness training.
Source: tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16078454.2023.2293498
