Psychometrric evaluation of mothers who has a child with cancer

Aim of our study is to evaluate the change of anxiety and depression of a mother who has a child over time and to determine whether maternal anxiety and depression varied by sociodemographic characteristics of families.43 mothers of children newly diagnosed with cancer or within 1-2 weeks of diagnosis were questionnaired with Personal Data Inventory, Sociodemographic Data Inventory, Beck-Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory. The same mothers were questionnaired again with Beck-Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory 6 months after the diagnosis. Then these open-ended interviews were evaluated by İnönü University Faculty of Medicine Psychiatry Department.In our study Beck Depression and Beck Anxiety scores of mothers were high during the diagnosis period and scores were decreasing over time. There was a significiant difference between Beck Depression and Beck Anxiety scores at diagnosis and at 6 months after the diagnosis (in order p<0,0001; p<0,0001). At diagnosis time Beck Depression and Beck Anxiety scores of mothers who has a boy child were significiantly higher then girls? mothers, but at 6. months time there were no significiant difference between two groups. There were no significiant relationships observed between child?s diagnosis, child?s age, mother?s education level, mother?s age, number of her children, father?s education level, family?s economic status, type of social-insurance or family?s range and any Beck Depression and Beck Anxiety scores of mothers. Six months after diagnosis Beck Anxiety scores of mothers that are living in Malatya center were higher than mothers that are living in countries and that are living in other cities.