Brief report: the effect of two short psychological interventions on psychiatric morbidity in parents of pediatric hematology oncology patients, a feasibility study

Parents of pediatric oncology patients have an increased prevalence of psychiatric symptoms. The feasibility of two short-term interventions (CBT with Biofeedback; Supportive Therapy and audio-visual relaxation, 9 sessions over 6 weeks in both arms) on reducing psychiatric morbidity was tested in 16 parents of pediatric oncology patients. Parents’ and children’s questionnaires and parents’ endocrinological and immunological parameters (blood count, cortisol levels, lymphocyte cells subpopulations) were evaluated before and after interventions. Parents had fewer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (d = 0.74) and lower dysfunction scores (r = -0.51) after interventions, lower cortisol levels and platelet count (d = 0.41 and d = 0.46), and higher CD16 cell numbers (d = -0.46). This pilot study demonstrates the benefit of short-term psychological interventions for parents of pediatric oncology patients, as they may reduce PTSD symptomatology in this population.