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Doença oncológica em crianças, sentido de imortalidade simbólica e ansiedade perante a morte em dois grupos de pais
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
O cancro representa uma experiência dramática na vida de qualquer pessoa, em
particular quando afeta crianças. Na União Europeia registam-se mais de 2 milhões de
casos de cancro e mais de 1 milhão de mortes por ano. Entre a população portuguesa, os
tumores malignos, são uma das principais causas de morte e a origem de tantos medos e
tabus na nossa sociedade.
O presente estudo propõe-se investigar a influência da doença oncológica infantil
no desejo de imortalidade simbólica e na ansiedade perante a morte de um grupo de
pais, comparando-os com um grupo de pais com filhos sem cancro. Para compreender
melhor as dificuldades e as formas encontradas para lidar com esta situação tão difícil,
foram aplicadas as versões portuguesas da Sense of Symbolic Imortality Scale (SSIS;
Drolet, 1990) e da Death Anxiety Scale (DAS; Templer, 1970), juntamente com um
questionário para recolha de dados sociodemográficos. Participaram neste estudo 106
sujeitos da comunidade (60 mulheres e 46 homens), entre os 27 e os 54 anos de idade,
divididos em dois grupos demograficamente semelhantes de 53 pais de filhos com
doença oncológica e 53 pais com filhos saudáveis.
Foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os grupos no sentido de
imortalidade simbólica (p=0,003), e nos modos: transcendental (p=0,000), biológico
(p=0,005) e natural (p=0,007). Pais com filhos com doença oncológica mostraram um
maior sentido de imortalidade simbólica, que se correlaciona positivamente a ansiedade
perante a morte (r=0,42). Os modos que mais se correlacionam com a ansiedade perante
a morte são o modo transcendental (r=0,47), criativo (r=0,38) e natural (r=0,31).
Apenas no grupo de pais com filhos com cancro, foi encontrada uma associação
entre a SISS e o nível de escolaridade (p=0,009) e entre a DAS e o sexo (p=0,019) e a
DAS e a idade (r=0,31). Neste o grupo de pais, 30% da variância na DAS é explicado
pelo modo transcendental imortalidade simbólica e pela idade.
As diferenças significativas entre os grupos, as correlações encontradas e
consistência de resultados no grupo de pais com filhos com doença oncológica, sugerem
alguma especificidade deste grupo de sujeitos, abrindo as portas a estudos exploratórios
mais aprofundados e a investigações mais abrangentes desta temática junto a esta
população, procurando suplantar as limitações deste estudo
Cancer is a dramtic experience in anyone’s life, especially when it concerns children. More than 2 milion new cases are reported and more than one milion deaths happen every year in the European Union. In Portugal, malignant tumors are one of the main causes of death and the starting point of so many fears and tabus in our society. This study aims to investigate the influence of having a child with cancer in parents’ sense of simbolic imortality and feeling of anxiety before the idea of death. To better understand the chalenges and the ways of coping with this difficult circunstance we used the portugueses version of the Sense of Symbolic Imortality Scale (SSIS; Drolet, 1990) and the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS; Templer, 1970), together with a questionaire to collect demographic data. Participants were 106 community dweling individuals (60 women and 46 men) with ages between 27 and 54 years old. These subjects were separated in two demographycally matched groups of 53 parents with a child with cancer and 53 parents wih healthy children. The sense of symbolic imortality of the groups was significantly different (p=0,003), especially in three of the symbolic imortally modes: trancendental (p=0,000), biological (p=0,005) and natural (p=0,007). Parents with a child with cancer showed a higher sense of symbolic imortality that positively correlates with death anxiety (r=0,42). The modes of symbolic imortality that had higher correlation with death anxiety were: transcendental mode (r=0,47), criative mode (r=0,38) e natural mode (r=0,31). In the group of parents with a child with cancer we found an association between SISS and level of education (p=0,009) and between DAS and sex (p=0,019) and also DAS and age (r=0,31). In this group of parents, 30% of the variance in DAS is explained by de transcendental mode of symbolic imortality and by age. The significant differences between groups, the correlations found and the consistency of results sugest taht they may be specific of these individuals in this particular situation. These results open the way to future studies that explore and investigate this subject matter in this population, trying to surpass the limitations of this study.
Cancer is a dramtic experience in anyone’s life, especially when it concerns children. More than 2 milion new cases are reported and more than one milion deaths happen every year in the European Union. In Portugal, malignant tumors are one of the main causes of death and the starting point of so many fears and tabus in our society. This study aims to investigate the influence of having a child with cancer in parents’ sense of simbolic imortality and feeling of anxiety before the idea of death. To better understand the chalenges and the ways of coping with this difficult circunstance we used the portugueses version of the Sense of Symbolic Imortality Scale (SSIS; Drolet, 1990) and the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS; Templer, 1970), together with a questionaire to collect demographic data. Participants were 106 community dweling individuals (60 women and 46 men) with ages between 27 and 54 years old. These subjects were separated in two demographycally matched groups of 53 parents with a child with cancer and 53 parents wih healthy children. The sense of symbolic imortality of the groups was significantly different (p=0,003), especially in three of the symbolic imortally modes: trancendental (p=0,000), biological (p=0,005) and natural (p=0,007). Parents with a child with cancer showed a higher sense of symbolic imortality that positively correlates with death anxiety (r=0,42). The modes of symbolic imortality that had higher correlation with death anxiety were: transcendental mode (r=0,47), criative mode (r=0,38) e natural mode (r=0,31). In the group of parents with a child with cancer we found an association between SISS and level of education (p=0,009) and between DAS and sex (p=0,019) and also DAS and age (r=0,31). In this group of parents, 30% of the variance in DAS is explained by de transcendental mode of symbolic imortality and by age. The significant differences between groups, the correlations found and the consistency of results sugest taht they may be specific of these individuals in this particular situation. These results open the way to future studies that explore and investigate this subject matter in this population, trying to surpass the limitations of this study.
Description
Dissertação apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Psicologia, Ramo de Psicologia Clínica e da Saúde
Keywords
Cancro Ansiedade perante a morte Sentido de imortalidade simbólica Cancer Death anxyety Sense of symbolic imortality