Table 4.
Frequency of identified life events, delineated by cancer vs. control
| Cancer (n = 254) | Control (n = 142) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| N (%) | N (%) | Χ2 | |
| Potentially Traumatic Events | |||
| A parent died | 11 (4.3) | 0 (0.0) | 6.32* |
| A grandparent died | 149 (58.7) | 93 (65.5) | 1.79 |
| A relative/close friend died | 158 (62.2) | 83 (58.5) | 0.54 |
| Abused (and reported) | 10 (3.9) | 6 (4.2) | 0.02 |
| Witnessed shooting/act of violence | 21 (8.3) | 5 (3.5) | 3.34 |
| Involved in natural disaster | 97 (38.2) | 38 (26.8) | 5.29* |
| Car crash or serious accident | 67 (26.4) | 31 (21.8) | 1.01 |
| Injured and had to go to ER | 89 (35.0) | 38 (26.8) | 2.86 |
| Serious illness | 202 (79.5) | 14 (9.9) | 178.30** |
| Total Events [M ± SD (Range)]a | 3.16 ± 1.51 (0 – 7) | 2.17 ± 1.17 (0 – 5) | 6.82** |
| Total Events (no illness) [M ± SD (Range)]a | 2.37 ± 1.38 (0 – 6) | 2.07 ± 3.36 (0 – 5) | 2.22* |
| Other Events | |||
| A brother or sister was born | 155 (61.0) | 92 (64.8) | 0.55 |
| Your parents separated | 89 (35.0) | 38 (26.8) | 2.86 |
| Your parents divorced | 66 (26.0) | 36 (25.4) | 0.02 |
| Your parent remarried | 52 (20.5) | 23 (16.2) | 1.08 |
| A parent became sick, hospitalized | 56 (22.0) | 33 (23.2) | 0.07 |
| A sibling became sick, hospitalized | 38 (15.0) | 18 (12.7) | 0.39 |
| Learned you were adopted | 6 (2.4) | 1 (0.7) | 1.44 |
| Parent lost a job and was unemployed | 79 (31.1) | 40 (28.2) | 0.37 |
| Parent’s job changed, less time at home | 44 (17.3) | 38 (26.8) | 4.94* |
| Parents began fighting | 32 (12.6) | 25 (17.6) | 1.85 |
| Parent went to jail | 41 (16.1) | 8 (5.6) | 9.28** |
| Moved to a new city | 66 (26.0) | 49 (34.5) | 3.21 |
| Parents worrying more about money | 90 (35.4) | 67 (47.2) | 5.25* |
| Drug/alcohol problems in family | 50 (19.7) | 15 (10.6) | 5.52* |
| Bullied at school or threatened | 43 (16.9) | 38 (26.8) | 5.41* |
| Pet died | 173 (68.1) | 82 (57.7) | 4.27* |
| Failed an important exam | 45 (17.7) | 35 (24.6) | 2.71 |
| Suspended or expelled | 22 (8.7) | 13 (9.2) | 0.03 |
| Attend court for wrongdoing | 6 (2.4) | 3 (2.1) | 0.03 |
| Boy/girlfriend broke up with you | 70 (27.6) | 38 (26.8) | 0.03 |
| Serious argument with parents | 36 (14.2) | 29 (20.4) | 2.59 |
| Total Events [M ± SD (Range)]a | 4.96 ± 2.99 (0 – 16) | 5.08 ± 2.84 (0 – 15) | 0.39 |
| All Events Combined | |||
| Total Events [M ± SD (Range)]a | 8.12 ± 3.84 (2 – 22) | 7.25 ± 3.42 (0 – 18) | 2.26* |
| Total Events (no illness) [M ± SD (Range)]a | 7.33 ± 3.76 (1 – 21) | 7.15 ± 3.36 (0 – 18) | 0.47 |
a
Independent sample t-test
*
p < .05
**
p < .01