Purpose

This study explored the relationships among self-efficacy, post-traumatic growth, and quality of life in a sample of pediatric cancer survivors and analyzed the factors associated with quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors.

Method

A questionnaire assessed self-efficacy, post-traumatic growth, and health-related quality of life. Data were collected from December 2017 to December 2018 at a hospital in Seoul, South Korea from 115 pediatric cancer survivors.

Results

Health-related quality of life showed significant positive correlations with general self-efficacy and social self-efficacy, but did not significantly correlate with post-traumatic growth. Factors that significantly influenced health-related quality of life were current age (β = 0.24, p = .007), currently not attending school (β = −0.19, p = .029), having many uncomfortable symptoms (β = −0.26, p = .006), some daily life difficulties (β = −0.23, p = .015), general self-efficacy (β = 0.17, p = .043), and social self-efficacy (β = 0.32, p = .001). This model explained 50% of the variance in self-reported health-related quality of life.

Conclusion

Health-related quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors was not associated with post-traumatic growth. However, high health-related quality of life was related to being older, attending school, lacking uncomfortable symptoms and difficulties in daily life, and having high self-efficacy. Interventions may improve health-related quality of life in pediatric cancer survivors if they increase self-efficacy, reduce uncomfortable symptoms and difficulties in daily life and for children who are survivors of cancer, and encourage maintaining school life.