Adaptational Process of Parents of Pediatric Oncology Patients

Abstract

This study, based on grounded theory, explores the adaptational process of parents of pediatric oncology patients. Thirty-two Taiwanese parents (26 mothers and 6 fathers) were interviewed. Data were collected through individual in-depth and focus group interviews, observations, medical chart review, nurses' note, and researchers' reflexive journals. The findings suggest that parents adapt to their children's cancer by a dynamic process; i.e., they modify their coping tasks and related strategies as clinical events (e.g., diagnosis, side effects, relapses, or death) occur. This adaptational process consisted of five components: confronting treatment, maintaining family integrity, establishing support, maintaining emotional well-being, and searching for spiritual meaning. Related factors such as coping tasks are described.

A Qualitative Approach to Find Nursing Diagnoses for Non-Physical Health Problems in Mothers of Children with Cancer

“…In this situation the person does not use effective methods to cope with the situation (6). Mothers participating in our study used the emotion-focused coping strategies such as resorting to religion, optimism, positive thinking and trying to have positive thoughts of which the findings are consistent with the results of other studies (33,34), but in the end the presence of a lot of symptoms, such as crying, social isolation, and ineffective family relationships showed failed adaptation. On the other hand, occurrence of psychological issues including death anxiety and chronic sorrow were factors, which affected ineffective coping of mothers.…”

Psychosocial correlates of paediatric cancer in the United Arab Emirates

“…diagnosis, side effects, relapses or death) occur. This process of adaptation is dynamic and consists of five components: confronting treatment, maintaining family integrity, establishing support, maintaining emotional wellbeing, and searching for spiritual meaning [32]. Barbarian and Chester [3] documented that most families relied strongly on religion as a coping strategy.…”

Crianças com câncer e suas famílias

“…Os problemas encontrados legitimam suas preocupações, que coincidem com as descritas em estudos anteriores (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)8) . Entretanto, este trabalho acrescenta uma importante contribuição -avaliando a qualidade do cuidado -que não havia sido previamente descrita.…”

“…Vinte e seis mães e seis pais fizeram parte de um estudo sobre o processo de adaptação de pais chineses ao câncer infantil (8) , sendo os dados coletados através de entrevistas individuais e em grupo. Os resultados sugerem que o processo de adaptação dos pais se dá de forma dinâmica, com a modificação de suas habilidades e estratégias de enfrenta-mento da doença, de acordo com o momento clínico pelo qual estão passando.…”

“…O estágio da doença influenciou o tipo de reação dos pais, sendo a morte da criança identificada como o fator que gerou maior estresse. A relação entre o estágio da doença e as reações dos pais foi sustentada em outros estudos (7)(8)10) . Entretanto, em investigação sobre os ní-veis de angústia de pais, aos seis meses e um ano após o diagnóstico do câncer, não foram encontradas diferenças significativas (11) .…”