The Effects of Training Pediatric Cancers’ Parents in Communication Skills on their Marital Instability, Marital Adjustment, and Quality of Life

Background: When a child is diagnosed with cancer, parents face many logistical and emotional difficulties that can impact their relationship significantly. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the couple's communication skills on marital instability, marital adjustment, and the quality of couples with pediatric cancer.Methods: The population of this quasi-experimental included all the parents of children with cancer in Ahvaz, Iran, from ۲۰۱۹- ۲۰۲۰. Samples of the study were selected using purposive sampling and randomly divided into two groups; one experimental (communication skills) (n=۱۵), and one control (n=۱۵). Both groups underwent ۱۰ sessions of treatment for one-hour while the control group was not provided with any therapy from the second half of October until the second half of December ۲۰۲۰. The subjects were assessed before and after the treatment using the marital instability index (MII), the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), and the WHOQOL – BREF Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version ۲۳.۰.Results: The total sample included ۳۰ couples, of which ۳۵% were in the age group of ۳۸-۳۴ years, ۳۵% were in the age group of ۴۳-۳۹ years, and ۳۰% were in the age group of ۴۴-۴۸ years. The results of an analysis of covariance showed that training couples in communication skills had significant effects on reducing the parents’ Marital instability (f=۸۸.۱۴; P=۰.۰۰۱), increasing their Marital adjustment (f=۱۳.۸۸; P=۰.۰۰۱), and increasing their quality of life (f=۱۲.۹۳; P=۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: It seems that training couples in effective communication skills can reduce their marital instability, along with increasing their marital adjustment and quality of life.