Romantic relationships of emerging adult survivors of childhood cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether childhood cancer survivors experience difficulties in their romantic relationships during emerging adulthood (18-25 years) and to identify who may be at risk for long-term social sequelae.

METHODS

Emerging adult survivors of childhood cancer (n=60) and controls without a history of chronic illness (n=60) completed an online assessment of their romantic relationships, including perceived relationship satisfaction. Severity of initial treatment was rated by healthcare providers for participants with cancer.

RESULTS

Although survivors of childhood cancer do not differ from demographically similar controls in satisfaction with, conflict in, and duration of romantic relationships, they reported fewer romantic relationships and greater distress at relationship end. Within the survivor group, higher trait anxiety, older age at diagnosis, and more severe treatment intensity increased risk for relationship difficulties, including lower relationship satisfaction and more distress at break-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings appear to support the overall social resilience of survivors of childhood cancer. Certain subsets of survivors, however, may be at greater risk for difficulties in their close relationships as adults and therefore may be appropriate targets for intervention. Healthcare providers should routinely assess developmentally salient issues like love/romance that are important markers of identity development and ultimately impact long-term quality of life for survivors.