Impact of COVID‐19 on adolescent and emerging adult brain tumor survivors and their parents

Fisher, Allison P.; Patronick, Jamie; Gerhardt, Cynthia A.; Radonovich, Krestin; Salloum, Ralph; Wade, Shari L.

BACKGROUND: The COVID‐19 pandemic has prompted unprecedented challenges, contributing to greater difficulties among families of children with special health care needs, such as pediatric brain tumor survivors. We examined the impact of the pandemic on psychosocial functioning of adolescent and emerging adult survivors and their parents. We hypothesized that COVID‐19 disruptions and survivor social connectedness would be associated with survivor‐reported posttraumatic stress and family outcomes, including family functioning, parenting, and parent mental health. PROCEDURE: Fifty‐five families (44 survivors, 48 parents) were recruited via phone and email to participate in the study. Survivors were ages 13–25 (M = 19.62, SD = 3.47) and at least 5 years post diagnosis. Parents completed the COVID‐19 Exposure and Family Impact Survey (CEFIS), and survivors completed the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) COVID‐19 child self‐report form, which assessed pandemic impacts on their psychosocial functioning. RESULTS: Parents reported a mean of 7.52 (SD = 2.83) disruptions to their families’ lives. The pandemic negatively affected survivors’ life satisfaction (M (diff) = 0.46, t(44) = 3.96, p < .001), with 92% reporting reduced social connectedness (n = 39). Total disruptions due to COVID‐19 and survivor social connectedness predicted survivor‐reported posttraumatic stress, above and beyond survivors’ pre‐pandemic psychosocial risk. Most parents reported positive changes in their parenting (n = 31, 67.4%) and family cohesion (n = 30, 66.7%). However, they also reported worsened mood (n = 28, 62.3%) and increased anxiety (n = 31, 71.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Parents and survivors reported positive and negative impacts of COVID‐19, which had downstream consequences on survivor psychosocial functioning. Follow‐up care should consider potential adverse effects on social connectedness and stress symptoms.