Psychosocial Research

JJCCC is very active in its behavioral science research program. This nationally recognized research program is designed to increase understanding of the needs of young people with cancer, sickle cell disease and other blood disorders. Research results are published and shared with other cancer centers and children’s hospitals locally, nationally and globally to improve medical and supportive care for children, teenagers and families.

Expanded Teen Survivor Study in progress: A Decision Aid to Test A Decision-Making Intervention for Cancer Surviving Adolescents

Enrollment began January 2007, to date 46 patients have been enrolled.
Randomized study with educational intervention with attention to risk behaviors (smoking, drinking, drug use)
Survivors 14-19 years of age and 2 years off cancer therapy (excluding brain tumor patients) invited to participate.
Study funding from the National Institute of Nursing Research

Psychological Outcomes in Adolescent Cancer Survivors During Their First Five Years of Survivorship: A Longitudinal Study

This study evaluates psychological outcomes among adolescent/young adult cancer survivors to track changes that occur during the first five years of survivorship.

Eleven adolescents enrolled: teens/young adults ages 11-21, who are off treatment for less than 6 months. Enrollment now closed.
Patient questionnaires are given at three points of time (baseline, two years off treatment and five years off treatment) to determine fatigue levels, health-related quality of life, impact of disease and treatment, depression, post traumatic growth, pain, coping strategies, cancer related education and social support.
Parent questionnaires are given two years after the child’s last treatment, which will be used as a parent report or update on their child’s status and progress. Questions are related to demographics, the child’s quality of life, post traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, parent education and a report on the overall family’s quality of life.

Improving Cancer Related Follow-Up Care Among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Childhood Cancer Survivors

This project, funded by the Whittier Foundation, is in collaboration with CHLA and USC’s Cancer Surveillance Program and Institute for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Research. The goal is to establish a cohort of young cancer survivors that can be followed longitudinally to learn more about their health practices, follow-up care and the psychosocial, socioeconomic and educational predictors of their health behaviors. Data will be collected from survivors and their parents at both CHLA and Miller Children’s.

Characterizing Lone Parents and Transnational Parents of a Child with Cancer Studies

These projects are in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute – Pediatrics Branch. Both will take a qualitative approach to learn more about the unique needs that parents face when adjusting to their child’s cancer. Single parents are known to be at a higher risk for negative psychosocial outcomes, the current methods of assessing “lone-ness” are fairly crude and do not account for the wide variation in life situations of parents who check the “single” box. More knowledge is needed about these parents and predictors for positive and negative psychosocial outcomes for them and their children.

The Transnational Parenting study revolves around parents who came to the U.S. specifically seeking care for their child with cancer. Parents often face double challenges and complex feelings involved in establishing themselves in a new country with one child while leaving other children and family behind. This study allows the research team to learn more about their experience, how they came to their decision to seek care internationally, and how a cancer center’s care teams can better meet their needs as they navigate through America’s complicated medical system.

Latina Maternal Problem Solving Skills Training Study

This is an archival, data analytic project in collaboration with a number of institutions including CHLA and MD Anderson. The original study was a Phase III randomized clinical trial, testing the efficacy of problem-solving skills training (PSST) for mothers of newly diagnosed cancer patients. The intervention was successful, and Spanish speaking mothers, who initially demonstrated the lowest problem solving skills, made the greatest improvements. In the current data analytic phase, the research team is taking a closer look specifically at the Latina mothers to learn more about the inter-relationships between acculturation, language use, immigration stress, familism, problem solving and psychosocial functioning.

Evidence Based Design Research: Surgical Suite Study

This is original research in collaboration with Taylor Architecture, Child Life, and Miller Children’s outpatient surgery department. The study tracks pre-procedural anxiety, environmental satisfaction, health care satisfaction, staff satisfaction and the efficacy of Child Life interventions as Miller Children’s transitions from the current shared adult/pediatric outpatient surgery environment to Miller Children’s new exclusively pediatric surgery center.