Analysis of the psychosocial functioning of fathers caring for hospitalized children with cancer

Introduction: Mothers are the most frequent caregivers of children with cancer during hospitalization. Parents uphold this decision with financial reasons, stronger mother-child relationship and better skills in caring for a child. However, there is a small group of fathers taking care of hospitalized children. The aim of this study was to assess the motivation of fathers caring for children hospitalized with cancer and assess their psychosocial functioning – personality traits, parental attitudes and ways of coping with stress.

Material and methods: The study group consisted of 120 fathers: 30 fathers caring for hospitalized children with cancer aged 2 to 18 years who were treated in three oncohematological departments (Zabrze, Poznań and Szczecin), 40 fathers of children with cancer who were not with them during hospitalization, 50 fathers of healthy children. The fathers completed a questionnaire for the assessment of family situation and psychological tests: the NEO-FFI Personality Inventory, the Parental Attitudes Scale, and the Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced (COPE) scale.

Results: The results indicate that the main factor for fathers who take care of their children during hospitalization were: employment status, stress resistance, a strong relationship with the child and a good influence on the child. Psychosocial functioning of fathers taking care of children during hospitalization compared with control groups was characterized by higher levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness, higher acceptance of the child, and more frequently searching for instrumental and emotional support and focusing on religion. The study indicates that caring for hospitalized children has a positive impact on the psychosocial functioning of their fathers.

Conclusions: The authors also emphasize the need for extended psychological research on fathers of children with cancer and the need to provide psychological care for them.