Hosna Ghorbani, Akram Ghahramanian, Arefeh Davoodi, Leila Valizadeh,
Volume 31, Issue 1 (4-2025)
Abstract
Background & Aim: Although chemotherapy is effective in treating leukemia, it is associated with multiple adverse effects. Mothers, as key members of the healthcare team, need adequate information regarding these side effects to provide optimal care. This study aimed to investigate the side effects of chemotherapy in pediatric and adolescent leukemia patients and examine their relationship with maternal treatment knowledge.
Methods & Materials: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 and involved 110 mothers and their children aged 6-18 years hospitalized for leukemia at educational hospitals in Tabriz. A convenience sampling method was employed. Data collection instruments included the American Cancer Society's chemotherapy side effects checklist and an information questionnaire for parents of children with cancer, developed by Motlagh et al. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24, applying chi-square tests, one-way ANOVA, paired t-tests, Pearson correlation coefficients, and repeated measures ANOVA.
Results: The mean age of mothers was 37 years, and that of the children was 11.61 years. The majority of diagnoses were Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). The severity of complications—such as fever, nausea, vomiting, mouth mucositis, diarrhea, anorexia, and bleeding—showed a significant increasing trend over the four-week observation period (P<0.001). Additionally, a significant difference was observed in mothers' treatment knowledge between the first and fourth weeks (P<0.001). There was a significant relationship between chemotherapy complications and mothers' treatment knowledge (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Mothers actively seek and obtain information regarding their children’s chemotherapy treatment, with their knowledge increasing as complication severity rises. Awareness of side effects and their management strategies enables parents to provide appropriate care and empowers caregivers to offer the best advice and support to patients and their families throughout the treatment course.
Mansoore Karimi, Fatemeh Kameli, Mohammad Reza Mansoorian, Hossein Ajamzibad,
Volume 31, Issue 4 (1-2026)
Abstract
Background & Aim: The quality of communication between parents and adolescents can have profound effect on adolescents’ attitudes towards them and the formation of their emotional and social relationships. This study aimed to determine the effect of parent-child relationship training for parents on adolescents’ attitudes towards them.
Methods & Materials: This quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group was conducted on students aged 16 to 18 and their parents in 2023. In this study, 56 parents of students with poor parent-child relationships were placed in the intervention and control groups (28 people in each group) along with the relevant student. Parents in the intervention group received training on improving parent-child relationships, while the control group did not receive training. After 21 days, the quality of the parent-child relationship and adolescents’ attitudes towards parents were assessed. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27 software using independent t-test, paired t-test, Mann-Whitney, Fisher and Chi-square tests.
Results: The two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics (P>0.05). The results showed that after the intervention, the quality of the parent-child relationship and adolescents' attitudes towards parents in the intervention group significantly improved compared to before the intervention and compared to the control group (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Training in parent-child communication skills has a positive effect on improving parental relationships and adolescents' attitudes. These findings emphasize the importance of including parenting training in family education programs.
