Depression in parents of children with leukemia in southern China accompanied by the prevalence of type D personality

The aims of this study were to assess depression and type D personality in parents of children with leukemia in southern China and to investigate the associations between parents’ depression and type D personality, social support, coping style, and demographic characteristics.

Parents (n = 231) of children with leukemia (study group) and parents (n = 261) of children with acute respiratory/digestive infections (control group) were recruited from five hospitals in southern China. Children’s clinical characteristics and parents’ demographic characteristics, depression, type D personality, coping styles, and social support were collected with self-report questionnaires.

Parents of children with leukemia, especially mothers, reported higher levels of depression accompanied by a higher prevalence of type D personality, more negative coping styles, and less subjective social support, but received more objective social support than controls (P < 0.05). The depression in parents in the study group was positively correlated with type D personality and negative coping style, but negatively correlated with social support and positive coping styles (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that type D personality (OR = 5.64, P < 0.001), lower social support (OR = 2.38, P = 0.020), and less positive coping (OR = 3.32, P = 0.003) were independently associated with depression in parents of children with leukemia. As for demographic characteristics, female, lower education level, unemployed, and paying medical expenses at one’s own expenses were independent predictors of depression in parents of children with leukemia.

Depression and type D personality were remarkably prevalent in parents of children with leukemia in southern China. Type D personality and multiple social factors were associated with depression in parents of children with leukemia.