Illness Impact Perception, Positive Emotions, Hope, and Social Support Among Children With Cancer and Their Parents

Background: Studies show that in families with a child diagnosed with cancer, higher parental stress is associated with greater psychosocial difficulties in children. This study examined whether children with cancer and their parents can maintain a high positivity ratio (more positive than negative emotions) during illness, highlighting the mediating role of parental illness perception in the relationship between hope, social support, and positivity ratio in both parents and children. Method: The study included 108 parent–child dyads (N = 216), where children (ages 7–18) were undergoing cancer treatment. Participants completed self-reports on hope, social support, and positive/negative affect. Parents also reported their perceived impact of the illness. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 29). The theoretical research model was analyzed through structural equation modeling using Mplus (Version 8.6). Results: Despite the challenges of illness, both children and their parents were found to maintain a high positivity ratio. Path analysis indicated that parents’ perception of illness impact mediated the relationship between parents’ social support and hope and the positivity ratio of both parents and children. Additionally, intergenerational correlations were found for social support and between parents’ illness perceptions and children's positivity ratio. Discussion: These findings highlight the crucial role of positive emotions during times of distress and offer valuable insights for developing targeted intervention programs aimed at supporting emotional resilience in children with cancer and their parents.