Parenting Concerns and Emotional Distress in Cancer Patients With Minor Children: A Meta-Analysis of Key Moderators.
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BACKGROUND: Parenting concerns, stemming from cancer's projected impact on children, are a common and significant source of emotional distress for parents. A quantitative synthesis of existing data is critically absent, and the role of modulating factors (e.g., male sex, single parenthood, and the number of children) remains unclear. AIMS: This meta-analysis aims to quantify the association between parenting concerns and emotional distress in cancer patients, examining male sex, single parenthood, and number of children as key moderators. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines. Searches (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Airiti Library; inception-November 2025) identified observational studies of adult cancer patients with minor children. Data on parenting concerns, anxiety, and depression were extracted and appraised using a modified JBI Checklist. Correlations were synthesized. Meta-regression addressed the quantitative void, examining male sex, single parenthood, and number of children as key moderators. Publication bias and sensitivity were assessed. RESULTS: We included 12 studies (N = 3895). Our meta-analysis found significant positive associations (r = 0.50, p < 0.001) between parenting concerns and both anxiety and depression. Meta-regression, controlling for time since diagnosis, identified male sex, single parenthood, and fewer children as significant moderators for anxiety (p < 0.001), with similar trends for depression. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: This meta-analysis highlights parenting concerns linked to distress in cancer patients, with fathers, single parents, and those with fewer children particularly vulnerable. Routine assessment and tailored, family-centered psychosocial interventions are urgently needed. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: This systematic review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PROSPERO; Registration No. CRD42024592899).