The purpose of the present study is to build a model combining some variables that have been previously studied separately to improve our understanding on how they relate in parents of children with cancer. A total of 112 parents with an average age of 41 completed the self-assessment questionnaires containing the factors studied: social support received, social support provided, stress, adjustment of parents and life satisfaction. Two models were developed: one for social support received and one for social support provided. Structural equation models based on the variance estimated through partial least squares were used to analyze factors involved in quality of life based on an exploratory model of second order. The estimated model was robust in terms of quality of measurement (reliability and validity). According to results from the structural model, in the model of social support received, the impact of social support received on stress was considerable (β = −0.26; p = 0.02) and it explained 16% of the variance. The impact of social support received by parents on their adjustment (β = −0.56; p < 0.001) was also considerable, explaining 32% of the variance. Finally, adjustment of parents also showed an effect on life satisfaction (β = −0.33; p < 0.001) and it explained 26% of the variance. However, the relation between social support received (β = 0.15; p = 0.11) and life satisfaction, the relation between stress (β = −0.15; p = 0.08) and life satisfaction, and the relation between adjustment of parents (β = 0.20; p = 0.07) and stress were not significant. In the model of social support provided by parents, social support provided (β = 0.35; p < 0.001), and adjustment of parents (β = −0.31; p < 0.01) impacted life satisfaction, explaining 36% of the variance. Social support provided (β = −0.34; p < 0.01) impacted adjustment of parents and it explained 12% of the variance. Adjustment of parents (β = 0.28; p < 0.05) also impacted parents’ perception of stress, explaining 14% of the variance. However, the relation between social support provided (β = −0.17; p = 0.06) and stress, and the relation between stress (β = −0.13; p = 0.08) and life satisfaction, were not significant. Social support received showed a strong connection with stress and parents’ adjustment. Additionally, social support received showed a decrease in stress and parents’ adjustment. Social support provided by parents and the adjustments they experience are linked to their life satisfaction. Additionally, social support provided showed a decrease in adjustment and an increase in parents’ life satisfaction. The models can be used to improve parents’ situations and it has strong practical implications.

There is a growing interest in improving the teaching–learning process at all levels of education, including higher education. In recent years, university institutions have been taking action to renew and modernize the way in which they teach and learn, making the process more dynamic and closer to the current social reality. Competencies such as the ability to work in a team have become essential for the successful implementation of innovative methodologies in which student participation is particularly relevant. Student acceptance is key to the success of any teaching methodology; however, the influence of group work skills on satisfaction with innovative methodologies such as project-based learning (PBL) has not yet been tested among university students. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore the association between group work competencies and satisfaction with PBL. A total sample of 359 students from two Spanish universities participated in the research. Our results reveal that there is a significant and positive relationship between competencies related to group work and satisfaction with PBL. In addition, a multiple regression analysis shows that the competencies “Conception of group work,” “Usefulness of group work,” “Planning of group work by teachers,” and “Group norms” increase satisfaction with the use of the PBL methodology. This work expands our knowledge about the role in increasing students’ satisfaction that is played by the ability of college students to work as a team. These findings could also guide teachers interested in new teaching methodologies.

Objetivo: El presente estudio se plantea como objetivo principal analizar cómo la percepción de apoyo de los padres de niños diagnosticados con enfermedad oncológica influye en la percepción de estrés y la satisfacción vital. Método: Participaron 112 padres de niños con patología oncológica que recibían tratamiento en Málaga y pertenecían a una asociación de padres de niños afectados por esta enfermedad. Resultados: Respecto a las fuentes analizadas la percepción de apoyo familiar disminuye la frecuencia del estrés, el apoyo de los amigos y de las asociaciones disminuye el esfuerzo relacionado con el estrés y el apoyo de la pareja aumenta la satisfacción vital de los progenitores. Respecto a los tipos de apoyo, el apoyo instrumental es el que más reduce la frecuencia del estrés de los progenitores, el apoyo informacional reduce el estrés relacionado con el esfuerzo que los padres deben realizar y es la satisfacción con el apoyo emocional la variable que mejor predice la satisfacción vital. Conclusión: El análisis multidimensional del apoyo social ha permitido analizar con mayor profundidad la complejidad de las relaciones de apoyo social que acontecen durante la enfermedad oncológica de los hijos. Del estudio se derivan importantes implicaciones prácticas.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to determine the relation between the satisfaction of parents of children with cancer with the social support received and provided from a multidimensional perspective (sources and types of support) and the disruptions that take place in different areas of their lives (partner, children, family, social relations, and economic and employment situation) Method: One hundred twelve parents of children diagnosed with cancer who received treatment at the Mother and Child Hospital of Málaga (Spain) were recruited. Data were gathered through self-reporting measures. The instrument used includes a questionnaire about socio-demographic variables, a questionnaire about parents’ adjustment to the situation and a questionnaire about social support received and provided based on the different sources and types of support. Results: There is a negative and significant relation between satisfaction with support received and provided and the magnitude of disruptions in parents’ lives. Conclusion: Satisfaction with emotional support received from the partner and family, and support provided to these sources, relate to lower disruption in different areas of parents’ lives. These results can have significant practical implications for the psychosocial care provided to parents of children with cancer.

Introduction: The present study aims at analysing how social support received and provided by parents of children, adolescents and young adults (AYA) diagnosed with cancer, as well as their sociodemographic and clinical variables, affect those parents’ stress levels and life and family satisfaction.Materials and Methods: A total of 112 parents of children and AYAs who had been diagnosed with cancer and who received treatment in Malaga participated in the study. In the study, participated all parents who voluntarily agreed to fulfil the questionnaire. The main inclusion criterion was that their child had cancer. Instruments used were Questionnaire on the Frequency of and Satisfaction with Social Support (QFSSS), Paediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP), Life Satisfaction Scale and Family Satisfaction Scale.Results: In the mean difference analyses, male parents showed 3.38 (SD = 0.56) in social support received and female parents showedM = 3.08 (SD = 0.72). Conversely, in social support provided, female parents showed 3.22 and male parents showedM = 3.55 (p = 0.020). Significant differences were also found in family satisfaction, where female parents (M = 3.64) feel more satisfied than male parents (M = 3.06;p = 0.027). Parents of children aged between 0 and 14 years (M = 3.06) feel more stress than those parents of children aged 15–21 (M = 2.61;p = 0.021). The correlation analysis shows that there is a negative and significant relation between stress levels experienced by parents when facing different situations related to the child’s disease and both types of support, receivedr = −0.411,p < 0.001 and providedr = −0.282,p < 0.01. There is also a positive and significant relation between life satisfaction and social support receivedr = 0.292,p < 0.01, and social support providedr = 0.409,p < 0.001. There is a positive and significant relation between family satisfaction and social support receivedr = 0.330,p < 0.01, in the same way as with social support providedr = 0.222,p < 0.05. The regression analysis related to stress levels of parents indicates that social support received predicts levels of stress significantlyp < 0.001, with the variable of number of children being the one that showed to be significantp < 0.05. Social support provided showed the most significant resultsp = 0.001, meaning that social support provided increased life satisfaction. Social support received explains family satisfaction (p = 0.50), as it increases the family satisfaction of parents of children with cancer.Discussion: Analysing social support received and provided, as well as sociodemographic and clinical variables, allowed us to broaden the knowledge on the effect social support has on stress levels, life satisfaction and family satisfaction in parents of children and AYAs diagnosed with cancer. This may have relevant practical implications for the design of interventions that would improve parents’ lives.

Objetivo: El presente estudio se plantea analizar el discurso de un grupo de familiares en duelo por el fallecimiento de un menor con cáncer, que acudieron a los grupos de apoyo de Fundación Olivares en Málaga. Método: Análisis del discurso de los nueve familiares participantes en el grupo de apoyo. Resultados: Del discurso de dichos participantes se obtienen afirmaciones relacionadas con la mejora de la calidad de vida de estas personas a través del apoyo social, el bienestar emocional y la expresión emocional. Conclusión: El grupo de apoyo se perfila como una herramienta útil para familiares que están viviendo este proceso y facilita el apoyo social y la expresión y bienestar emocional. De este estudio preliminar se derivan importantes implicaciones prácticas.