Journal of Pediatric Psychology 10(4) pp. 479-493, 1985
© 1985 Society of Pediatric Psychology
research-article |
Family Influences on Hopelessness Among Children Early in the Cancer Experience
The University of Alabama at Birmingham and The Children's Hospital Birmingham, Alabama
2All correspondence should be sent to Alan D. Blotcky, Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Children's Hospital, 1600 7th Avenue South, Birmingham, Alabama 35233.
The present study examined the relationship between five aspects of family functioning and feelings of hopelessness among children early in the cancer experience. The Hopelessness Scale for Children (Kazdin, French, Unis, Esveldt-Dawson, & Sherick, 1983) as well as a variety of individual and fam ily measures were administered to 32 pediatric cancer patients (8 to 16 years old) and both of their parents at 3 months postdiagnosis. Data suggest that more global or characteristic aspects offamily life (e.g., family satisfaction, extent of interaction) may be less important in a child's early response to cancer than are the parents' coping behavior and, to a lesser degree, their subjective distress about the illness. Two patterns of coping behavior for both mothers and fathers (fostering family integration and maintaining self- stability) proved to be the major independent contributors in accounting for the variance in hopelessness scores. In addition, it appears that some of the parental coping behaviors related to a sense of optimism in the child may be different from the behaviors that impact on the parents' own level of sub jective distress. The important role of both mothers and fathers in their children's cancer experience is addressed, and implications for psychosocial intervention and future research are discussed.
Key words: childhood cancer; hopelssness; family influences.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  S. Phipps, M. Dunavant, S. Lensing, and S. N. Rai Psychosocial Predictors of Distress in Parents of Children Undergoing Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Transplantation J. Pediatr. Psychol., March 1, 2005; 30(2): 139 - 153. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. K. Suzuki and P. M. Kato Psychosocial Support for Patients in Pediatric Oncology: The Influences of Parents, Schools, Peers, and Technology Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, July 1, 2003; 20(4): 159 - 174. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. L. Woodgate A Review of the Literature on Resilience in the Adolescent With Cancer: Part II Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, January 1, 1999; 16(2): 78 - 89. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
V. L. Hendricks-Ferguson An Analysis of the Concept of Hope in the Adolescent With Cancer Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, January 1, 1997; 14(2): 73 - 80. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. K. Birenbaum Measurement of Family Coping Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, January 1, 1991; 8(1): 39 - 42. [PDF]
|
|