Self-esteem and children with CNS tumours

The personal response of children to treatment for cancer is important for their well being during treatment and can impact on outcomes such as health-related quality of life, health status and psychological well being afterwards. This study will establish the factors that determine quality of life, health status, psychological well being and self-esteem for children undergoing treatment for central nervous system (CNS) tumours.

The families of sixty children within three years following diagnosis will be surveyed using measurement questionnaires about child health-related quality of life, health status, psychological functioning, self-esteem, and family functioning. This will result in mapping of key factors and their influence on these patients during different treatments and follow-up. These issues will be explored in greater detail with up to twenty families to establish how these factors exert their effect on children and their family.

The researcher will follow each family for one year through more or less challenging times, and employing child-friendly methods of data collection. The result will be a deeper understanding of the relationship between key factors and their impact on self-esteem, quality of life, health status, psychological wellbeing and family functioning. This will help to optimise the psychosocial and other support for these families throughout the cancer journey.

Grant Award – Kidscan PhD Studentship (2012- 2015)
Funding Award – £60,000
Funding Awarded To – Dr Tony Long
Research Location – University of Salford
Lead Researcher – Dr Tony Long