Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Pediatric Oncology: A Review of Emerging Approaches

Öz

Childhood cancer and its associated treatment procedures pose significant challenges to the psychological, physical, and emotional well-being of pediatric patients. Children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer often encounter a range of psychological stressors, including anxiety related to medical procedures, fear about prognosis, and uncertainty surrounding the treatment process. These psychological effects, when combined with physical symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and nausea, diminish the quality of life and negatively impact children's social, academic, and emotional functioning. Mindfulness-based interventions comprising mindfulness meditation, breathing exercises, and gentle bodily movements have emerged as promising complementary approaches for managing cancer-related stress and physical symptoms. This review summarizes the current literature on mindfulness-based interventions in pediatric oncology, highlighting their potential benefits such as reduced anxiety, enhanced coping skills, decreased fatigue, and improved quality of life. Integrating non-invasive, side-effect-free, and complementary methods into healthcare has become a priority to promote psychological adaptation to the treatment process and alleviate treatment-related side effects in pediatric patients. While initial findings are promising, larger-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to assess long-term effectiveness. Future research areas that may enhance accessibility include developmentally appropriate content, family involvement, and integration of digital platforms. Mindfulness-based interventions have the potential to serve as a safe, cost-effective, and holistic component of supportive care for children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• mindfulness, quality of life, psychological well-being, fatigue, anxiety, child care

Çocukluk Çağı Kanserinde Mindfulness Temelli Girişimler: Güncel Kanıtlar ve Gelecek Perspektifleri

Öz

Çocukluk çağı kanseri ve bu sürece eşlik eden tedavi uygulamaları, pediatrik hastaların psikolojik, fiziksel ve duygusal iyi oluşu üzerinde önemli zorluklar oluşturmaktadır. Kanser tanısı alan çocuk ve ergenler, tıbbi işlemlere yönelik anksiyete, prognoza dair korkular ve tedavi sürecinin belirsizliği gibi çeşitli psikolojik stresörlerle karşı karşıya kalmaktadır. Bu psikolojik etkiler, ağrı, yorgunluk ve bulantı gibi fiziksel semptomlarla birleştiğinde çocukların yaşam kalitesini düşürmekte ve sosyal, akademik ve duygusal işlevselliklerini olumsuz etkilemektedir. Farkındalık temelli girişimler, farkındalık meditasyonu, nefes egzersizleri ve yumuşak bedensel hareketleri içeren tamamlayıcı yaklaşımlar olarak, kanserle ilişkili stres ve fiziksel semptomların yönetiminde umut verici bir seçenek olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bu derlemede, pediatrik onkoloji alanında farkındalık temelli girişim uygulamalarına ilişkin güncel literatür özetlenmekte; anksiyete azalması, başa çıkma becerilerinin gelişimi, yorgunlukta azalma ve yaşam kalitesinin artışı gibi potansiyel yararları vurgulanmaktadır. Pediatrik hastaların tedavi sürecine psikolojik uyum sağlamaları ve tedaviye bağlı yan etkilerle baş edebilmeleri için invaziv olmayan, yan etkisiz ve tamamlayıcı yöntemlerin entegrasyonu sağlık hizmetlerinde öncelikli hedeflerden biri haline gelmiştir. İlk bulgular umut verici olmakla birlikte, uzun vadeli etkinliği değerlendirmek için daha geniş ölçekli randomize kontrollü çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır. Gelişimsel düzeye uygun içerikler, aile katılımı ve dijital platformların entegrasyonu, uygulamaların erişilebilirliğini artırabilecek gelecekteki önemli araştırma alanlarıdır. Farkındalık temelli girişimler, kanser tanısı almış çocuk ve ergenlerde destekleyici bakımın güvenli, düşük maliyetli ve bütüncül bir bileşeni olma potansiyeline sahiptir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• farkındalık
• yaşam kalitesi
• psikolojik iyi oluş
• yorgunluk
• anksiyete
• çocuk bakımı

Kaynakça

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