Correlates of Social Functioning among Survivors of Pediatric Brain Tumor
Correlations among predictors (demographic/clinical and cognitive) and social outcomes yielded a number of significant relationships (see Table 5). Increased difficulties on the Peer Relations subscale was significantly correlated with longer time since radiation (p< 0.05) and shunt placement (p < 0.01). Increased social skill problems were significantly correlated with larger tumor diameter (p < 0.05). Slower processing speed, reduced executive functioning, and poorer verbal memory were all significantly correlated with increased difficulties with peer relations. Reduced social skills was significantly correlated with slower processing speed alone.
Multiple linear regression models examined the independent and shared contributions of predictors that were significant in univariate correlations with outcomes (see Table 6). For peer relations, the overall model was significant, F (6, 51) = 3.94, p< 0.01, with verbal memory approaching significance as a unique predictor, t = -2.01, p = 0.05. For social skills, the overall model was significant F (5, 51) = 2.40, p = 0.05, and maximum tumor diameter emerged as the only significant unique predictor, t = -2.23, p < 0.05.