Trajectories and risk factors for anxiety and depression in children and adolescents with cancer: A 1‐year follow‐up

BACKGROUND There is limited data on the longitudinal trajectories of psychiatric disorders in children with cancer and risk factors for their persistence. The current study aimed to longitudinally assess the trajectories and risk factors for anxiety and depressive symptoms and disorders in children and adolescents with cancer. METHODS Children and adolescents with cancer and their parents completed the Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Depression and Anxiety Module and were interviewed by the semi‐structured Affective and Anxiety Modules of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School‐Age Children (K‐SADS), at 4 time points, 1, 4, 7, and 12 months following the diagnosis of cancer. RESULTS Of the 99 patients enrolled, 48% met criteria for anxiety and/or depressive disorders at least once during the follow‐up period. There was a significant decrease in PROMIS pediatric and parent anxiety and depression scores (all p's