The Relationship between Anger and the Marital Relationship Quality in Parents of Children with Cancer: The Mediating Role of Psychological Distress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress)

Having a child with cancer in the family has many negative consequences for parents. The present study investigates the mediating role of psychological distress (depression, anxiety and stress) in the relationship between anger and the marital relationship quality in parents of children with cancer.

The present study was descriptive-correlation and structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the present study includes the parents of all children with cancer referred to Bandar Abbas Children's Hospital in 1398, of which 200 people were selected as a sample group by purposive sampling. Data collection tools included Marital Relationship Quality Scale, Spielberger Anger Expression Questionnaire (STAXI), and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS_21). Data analysis was performed by Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis using AMOS software.

The results showed that anger and psychological distress have a significant negative relationship with couples' relationships quality. Psychological distress also had a mediating role in the relationship between anger and marital relationship quality (P <0.05).

Accordingly, in designing the necessary measures to improve the marital relationship quality in parents with children with cancer, programs can be developed to reduce anger and psychological distress.