Thesis Title: Perceived Stress and Quality of Life among Mothers of Children with Cancer
Student NAme: Saba Sattar
Supervisor: Mohsina Najeeb, PhD
Degree: MSc
Year: 2016-2018
Abstract
The present research was conducted to find out relationship between perceived stress and quality of life with reference to the demographic variables among mothers of children with cancer. It was hypothesized that perceived stress would have negative relationship with QOL (Physical health, psychological health, social relationship and environment). Perceived stress would be negative predictor of physical health, psychological health, social relationship and environment. Further, there would be relationship between demographic factors (mothers and child related demographics), perceived stress and quality of life among mothers of children with cancer. Correlational research design was used and the sample comprised of mothers of children with cancer (N = 65) with age range of 24 to 50 years. By using the purposive sampling, participants were recruited from the Oncology Ward of Children Hospital. Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, 1988) and WHOQOL- BREF (WHOQOL-BREF Group, 1998) were used to assess the perceived stress and quality of life in mothers of children with cancer. Results showed that perceived stress and quality of life (physical health, psychological health, social relationship and environment) had significant negative relationship that is with the increase of perceived stress, QoL of mothers of children with cancer decreases in all domains. Perceived stress was found to be a negative predictor of overall QoL. Whereas, QOL (physical health, psychological health, social relationship and environment) had significant negative relationship with mother’s age. Monthly income was found to have positive relationship with overall QoL domains. No significant difference was found between child’s age, child’s gender, mother’s education, family system and QoL domains. Among clinical factors perceived side-effects were found to have significant negative relationship with overall QoL domains. This study will give new direction to oncology counselor and health psychologist that they should not only focus on the stressors of cancer patients but they need to work also on the stressors of caregivers of cancer children to improve their quality of life. By improving stressors we can improve the QoL of mothers so that they can improve the caregiving services of their children suffering from cancer.
Keywords: Perceived stress, quality of life, cancer.
