BEHAVIORAL AND SCHOOL REINSERTION PROFILES OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ACUTE LYMPHOID LEUKEMIA SURVIVORS
Neuropsychology, Pediatric Oncology, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Behavior.
Leukemia is classified as the most common type of cancer in the age group between 0 and 19 years, being the most frequent Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in childhood and responsible for 75% of cases among children under 15 years of age. Cancer alters the child's life in many ways. Cognitive changes are identified, but also behavioral changes and learning disabilities that do not have their etiology fully understood. In this sense, the need to investigate the behavioral and learning profiles of ALL survivors is identified. Thirty-six children and adolescents aged seven to 13 years participated in the study, being 14 girls, divided into two groups, being G1 of ALL survivors and G2 of typically developing children and adolescents matched to G1 from age, sex and type of school. G1 members were treated exclusively with chemotherapy. Behavioral, learning, and reintegration profiles were assessed by applying the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to parents and teachers of the Deasy-Spinetta Behavioral Questionnaire (DSBQ). Data from both instruments were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Pearson's chi-square test was used, adopting the p value <0.05, as a parameter to analyze the levels of significance between the domains that make up the research instruments and the socio-demographic variables of gender, age at diagnosis and treatment time, as well as for comparing parents' and teachers' conceptions of the participants' behavior and learning process. The data point to the high prevalence of internalizing complaints and learning disabilities, especially among girls and those who were diagnosed over the age of five. Additionally, convergence in the opinion of parents and teachers regarding the domain of behavior was identified, but significant difference regarding the learning process. The results presented emphasize the need for monitoring of ALL survivors, promoting interventions that ensure the full development of these children and adolescents, ensuring the quality of life after the disease.