• Line Caes, Liesbet Goubert, Patricia Devos, Joris Verlooy, Yves Benoit, and Tine Vervoort.
• Centre for Pediatric Pain Research, IWK Health Centre, Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, and Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Ghent University line.caes@outlook.com.
• J Pediatr Psychol. 2014 Aug 1; 39 (7): 677-86.

ObjectiveChildren with leukemia frequently undergo invasive medical procedures, such as lumbar punctures (LPs) and bone marrow aspirations (BMAs). To date, cross-sectional evidence indicates that LP/BMA procedures continue to elicit distress over the course of treatment in children and parents.MethodThe current study used prospective analyses investigating in 28 children diagnosed with leukemia, the course of parental and child distress when confronted with consecutive LP/BMA procedures and potential moderation by catastrophic thinking. Parents' level of catastrophic thoughts was assessed before the first treatment-related LP/BMA, while child and parent distress was reported on after each LP/BMA procedure.ResultsWhereas parental distress decreased over time among low catastrophizing parents, LP/BMA procedures remained highly distressing for high catastrophizing parents. Child distress during LP/BMA procedures increased over time and was positively related with parental distress.ConclusionThese findings stress the importance of targeting child and parent distress as early as possible in treatment.© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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