Objective: To present a synthesis of program improvement evaluations of two approaches to bereavement support for families: (a) weekend family camps providing developmentally targeted grief education and social support for children and parents, and (b) a wait-list control randomized trial of a parent bereavement group intervention. Method: Families eligible for camp experienced a child's death (from any cause) and have surviving children at home. No-cost twice-yearly weekend camps include support sessions and family activities like fishing. After each retreat, parents and children complete an anonymous evaluation. We analyzed forms from 2009-2014 using the constant comparative method to devise a code structure and identify themes to understand camp impact. The second intervention, the bereavement group, included English and Spanish speaking parents of children who died from cancer. They were initially randomized to intervention and wait-list control groups. Intervention included six-weekly sessions of a bereavement program. Participants were invited to a postintervention focus group to better understand reasons for participation, the value of the group, and their support needs. Results: Qualitative findings from both groups strongly indicate that bereaved parents have specific ongoing needs that can be addressed through family-or parent-focused interventions. Families identified benefits including being able to openly express feelings with peers who truly understand, gaining an understanding of individual and developmental differences in the grief Julie N.

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Objective This study evaluated (a) differences in parents' emotion socialization (ES) beliefs for patients/siblings, (b) whether parents' ES beliefs predict patient/sibling coping, and (c) whether parents' ES beliefs moderate links between parent and patient/sibling coping with pediatric cancer. Method This was a cross‐sectional, questionnaire‐based study of 134 pediatric cancer patients, their caregiver, and their nearest‐age sibling. Participants could complete measures themselves via paper‐and‐pencil or telephone, or researchers could read questions aloud. Results Parents' ES beliefs differed for patients/siblings. ES beliefs did not directly predict patient/sibling coping but did moderate relations between parent and patient coping. Conclusions Despite extent literature promoting universal emotion coaching ES, our study indicates that ES beliefs might have a complex relation with parent coping in predicting patient coping.

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