ERIC Number: ED414546
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1992-Aug
Pages: 26
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Family Functioning and Sibling Adjustment Following Treatment of Childhood Cancer.
Tucker, Cindy L.; Hansen, James C.; Zevon, Michael A.
Childhood cancer and its treatment have been identified as significant stressors for individuals and families. The impact of this experience on healthy siblings has not been clearly determined. This study was designed to assess siblings regarding their adjustment and their perceptions of their families following a sick sibling's treatment. Standardized measures were used to facilitate comparisons. Siblings of children who survived cancer (n=25) were compared with siblings of children who died of cancer (n=24) so as to understand the complexities of the experience relative to treatment outcome. Subjects were 49 siblings, ranging in age from 10 to 20 years, and their parents. Results indicate that siblings reported levels of behavioral disturbance which did not significantly differ from those of a contrast group of children referred for psychological services. However, siblings did not differ significantly from a normative group in terms of self-image adjustment. Minimal adjustment differences were found between bereaved siblings and nonbereaved siblings with bereaved siblings reporting poorer adjustment only in the area of body image. Similarly, no significant gender effects on sibling adjustment were found. Results suggest a preponderance of similarity in adjustment for bereaved and nonbereaved siblings. (Author/RJM)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Department of Education, Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A