Young children and adolescents who have a parent with a serious physical illness require information and support to cope with their everyday lives. The purpose of this scoping review was to summarise and disseminate the research findings of interventions that support children in families with a serious physically ill parent. The review also aimed…

We investigated longitudinally parental perceptions of siblings' bereavement after childhood cancer death. Parents were interviewed 6 months (n = 25) and 18 months (n = 15) post-death. Data are analyzed combined and over time. The following themes emerged: (a) expression of grief: missing deceased child (verbally, crying), behavioral problems,…

The authors investigated longitudinally bereavement in mothers and fathers whose children died of cancer. Thirty-one parents were interviewed 6 and 18 months post-death. Analyses revealed parental differences and changes over time: (a) employment--fathers were more work-focused; (b) grief reactions--mothers expressed more intense grief reactions…

Family life is altered irrevocably when a young parent is diagnosed with or dies from cancer. This article tracks the genesis and transformation of a comprehensive psychoeducational support and bereavement program for children, adolescents, and parents affected by cancer. From the inception of the program, families with parents in active treatment…

This study comprehensively explored parental bereavement and adjustment at 6 months post-loss due to childhood cancer. Interviews were conducted with 18 mothers and 13 fathers. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed based on qualitative methodology. A model describing early parental bereavement and adaptation emerged with 3 domains:…

Low levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and psychosocial distress have been reported in pediatric cancer survivors. One explanation is the relatively high prevalence of the repressive adaptive style (low distress, high restraint) in this population. We investigated the relationship between this…

Music therapy, the systematic application of music and musical activities to elicit specific changes in emotional, physical, or social behavior, can help pediatric cancer patients to decrease their anxiety and cope with hospitalization. Because music is a nonverbal means of expression, it is an especially effective medium for young children who…

This booklet was written for children who have a parent or sibling with cancer. It is intended to help readers understand more about cancer, how it is treated, and changes that may be happening in the family's life because of cancer. In addition, it is intended to help readers understand and deal with their feelings about cancer and about the…

This study was conducted to examine the influence of medical, psychological, and familial factors on the coping of pediatric cancer patients. Participants were 36 pediatric cancer patients and their families under active treatment at Roswell Park Memorial Institute, a comprehensive cancer research and treatment center in Buffalo, New York. The…

Interviews with parents of child-cancer survivors about the late consequences of the disease were utilized in a qualitative research study. Results indicate that parents experienced changes of a definite and long-lasting nature as a result of the child's survival; feelings of loss and preservation of problems prevailed. (Author/MKA)

A review of existing stress and coping models and an analysis of the distress caused by childhood cancer suggest that a broader conceptualization of coping that includes "pleasure management" is needed. Presently, successful coping is identified as the employment of strategies which allow the individual to adapt to stress. Traditional…

Interviewed 32 married couples about their experiences and strategies for coping with their children's cancer. Most informants reported that family cohesion was strengthened by their experiences and that spouses were the most important source of support. (BH)

Obtained reports of coping and goals from 33 children being treated for leukemia. Coping strategies were classified as primary control coping (attempts to alter objective conditions), secondary control coping (attempts to adjust to objective conditions), or relinquished control (no attempt to cope). Secondary control coping was positively…

Notes that art therapy with pediatric cancer patients addresses emotional and developmental needs of normal population under extreme stress. Reviews literature on the problems likely to be encountered by pediatric cancer patient and presents case examples to illustrate the emergence of these issues and their management in art therapy. (Author/NB)

The aim of this qualitative study was to determine what the emotional reactions, experiences, and coping and support systems of families would be after the death of their children from cancer. The sample comprised 19 family members from five families. At the time of the interviews, it had been 8-14 months since the death of their children. The…