Effects of difficulties experienced by adolescents who have a parent with cancer on their psychological condition.

This descriptive study was designed to identify effects of difficulties experienced by adolescents who have a parent with cancer on their psychological condition. The study involved children of 13-18 years of age accompanying their parents who were receiving cancer treatment. The data were collected by a questionnaire prepared by the researchers, "Brief Symptom Inventory" and statistically compared. According to the results of the study, the children involved in the study generally showed high rates of psychological symptoms in the Brief Symptom Inventory. It was found that generally children who had to care for their ill parent and had not been allowed time for themselves in the study. It established that children who had to take on housework duties, income of family and couldn't spent time with their friends was found that a significant difference between the groups (p < 0.05). Taking these results into account, it could be recommended that patients, as well as their children, should be taken into account. The responsibilities that children are forced to undertake should be reduced by increasing the at-home care duties for cancer patient.