Background & Aims : The cancer is a chronic illness and d epression is one of the important psychological factors in its patients. In order to help these patients and show the necessity of needed psychological interventions, this study was aimed to compare depression rate among children and adolescents with cancer and healthy ones.

  Materials & Methods : This research was the causal-comparative type research. In this study, 65 children and adolescents 8-17 years old who went to Mahak Institute and 64 healthy children and adolescents were selected by available sampling method and all completed Child and Adolescent Depression Scale.

  Results : According to results, the mean of scores of depression in children and adolescents with cancer ( 11.42) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than healthy group (8.42). Also, the results indicated significant difference (P<0.05) in the mean of scores of depression between girls with cancer (12.08) and healthy girls (7.87) but there were no significant difference in the mean of scores of depression between boys with cancer (10.78) and healthy boys (8.99).

  Conclusion : Depression in children and adolescents with cancer is higher than healthy ones and this matter can disrupt disease development and improvement. Therefore, effective psychological interventions are necessary to reduce depression rate in these patients.

  SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2014: 25(31): 20 ISSN: 1027-3727