Abstracts
Abstract
Introduction: The cancer diagnosis of a child is an extremely challenging event that necessitates adjustments for parents at individual, family, and couple levels. To our knowledge, the factors that may explain parents’ relationship adjustments in the context of pediatric cancer remain under-documented.
Objectives: This dyadic study (1) described the perceived impact of pediatric cancer on parents’ relationship and (2) explored the relationship between attachment insecurities (both anxiety and avoidance) in both parents and their perception of how pediatric cancer influenced different facets of their relationship.
Method: Fifty-one mixed-sex couples whose child has received treatment for cancer (whether the treatment was ongoing or completed) within the past two years, completed online questionnaires.
Results: Path analyses, based on the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, showed that higher attachment insecurities in mothers and fathers were associated with their own perception of a more negative impact of cancer on their relationship regarding the quality of partner support (actor effect). Surprisingly, higher attachment insecurities in mothers and fathers were also linked to their partner’s perception of a more positive impact of their child’s illness on their relationship functioning (partner effects).
Discussion and conclusion: These results suggest that attachment insecurities not always have solely negative impacts. In extreme situations, such as pediatric cancer (at least in the early years of post-diagnosis), attachment-related anxiety and avoidance of parents could protect the relationship from certain difficulties.
Keywords:
- attachment insecurities,
- relationship functioning,
- parents,
- pediatric cancer,
- actor-partner interdependence model
Résumé
Introduction : Le diagnostic de cancer d’un enfant est un événement extrêmement difficile qui nécessite des ajustements chez les parents au niveau individuel, familial et conjugal. À notre connaissance, les facteurs associés à l’ajustement conjugal dans ce contexte demeurent sous-documentés.
Objectifs : Cette étude dyadique (1) a décrit l’impact perçu du cancer pédiatrique sur la relation des parents et (2) a exploré la relation entre les insécurités d’attachement (anxiété et évitement) chez les deux parents et leur perception de l’influence du cancer pédiatrique sur les différentes facettes de leur relation.
Méthode : Cinquante et un couples hétérosexuels dont l’enfant a été traité pour un cancer (que le traitement soit en cours ou terminé) au cours des deux dernières années ont répondu à des questionnaires en ligne.
Résultats : Les analyses acheminatoires basées sur le modèle d’interdépendance acteur-partenaire ont indiqué qu’un niveau plus élevé d’insécurités d’attachement chez les mères et les pères était associé à leur propre perception d’un impact plus négatif du cancer sur leur relation en ce qui concerne la qualité du soutien du partenaire (effet acteur). Étonnamment, un niveau plus élevé d’insécurités d’attachement chez les mères et les pères était également lié à la perception de leur partenaire d’un impact plus positif de la maladie de leur enfant sur le fonctionnement de leur relation (effets partenaires).
Discussion et conclusion : Ces résultats suggèrent que les insécurités d’attachement n’ont pas uniquement des effets négatifs. Ainsi, nous proposons que dans des situations extrêmes, comme le cancer pédiatrique (au moins dans les premières années suivant le diagnostic), l’anxiété et l’évitement liés à l’attachement chez les parents pourraient protéger la relation de certaines difficultés.
Mots-clés :
- insécurités d’attachement,
- fonctionnement conjugal,
- parents,
- cancer pédiatrique,
- modèle d’interdépendance acteur-partenaire
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