Effects of social support on caregiver benefit in pediatric osteosarcoma: A single-center cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the status and influencing factors of benefit finding among caregivers of children with osteosarcoma (OS).

METHODS

A total of 128 OS caregivers were recruited through convenience sampling at the hospital between January and September 2024. Data were collected via questionnaires on demographic information, Benefit Finding Scale (BFS), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ). Data analysis was conducted using Epidata 3.01 and SPSS 26.0. Statistical analyses were performed using the Chi-square test, the independent samples t-test, Pearson's correlation analysis, and stepwise linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The average total score obtained from BFS was 78.60 ± 15.33, with the highest sub‑scale scores for personal growth (25.06 ± 5.93). The illness-related benefit finding among caregivers of children with OS showed positive correlations with the SSRS (r = 0.456, P < 0.05) and the SCSQ (r = 0.570, P < 0.05). Linear regression identified self-care ability of the children, the cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy, Enneking stage, social support, and coping styles as independent predictors, explaining 63.1% of the variance (adjusted R² = 0.631, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Benefit finding among caregivers of children with OS was moderately high, with the most prominent gains in personal growth. The benefit finding of osteosarcoma caregivers was influenced by factors including self-care ability of the children, number of chemotherapy cycles, Enneking staging, social support, and coping styles.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Pediatric nurses should assess benefit finding and its influencing factors among caregivers of children with osteosarcoma, and also guide caregivers on how to enhance benefit finding derived from the disease experience.