Abstract

he study is an attempt to evaluate personality adjustment of children with childhood cancer, who were previously treated without intentional psychological support as well as in the conditions of full support of this kind. In total, the assessment was performed on 106 children (51 of them treated in the conditions when full support was not possible, and 55 children treated in the conditions of full support). On the basis of psychological methods applied (Cattell's personality questionnaires, manifest anxiety test by Choynowski and anxiety inventories by Spielberger) it was found that younger children treated in the conditions of partial support demonstrated decreased ability to use possessed knowledge and the signs of emotional instability as opposed to a better emotional balance and the ability to use possessed knowledge by fully-supported younger children. On the other hand, in older children treated in the conditions without full medical and psychological support, such traits as introversion, lower intelligence, increased internal discomfort and poor self-control were observed in contrast to extroversion, higher intelligence and perseverance, emotional balance, tendency to be dominant and high self-esteem found in the group of supported children. In the periods between investigations performed in the group of patients with psychological support, considerable differences as to surgence and internal discomfort are reported. In the subgroup of younger children, there is an increasing tendency to dominate as well as an intensification of internal discomfort. No differences concerning personality traits in the periods between tests were recorded in the subgroup of older children. Nevertheless, at the beginning of treatment, situational anxiety was more frequently observed in this group.

Keywords: childhood cancer, personality traits, psychological support