Coping Strategies in Greek Parents of Children with Cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood cancer is a life-threatening, chronic condition and treatment may extent for several years. The diagnosis of cancer in children could stress intensely their parents.

Aim: To explore coping strategies utilized by Greek parents who have children with cancer.

Material and methods: Eighty-five parents of children with cancer, admitted for treatment at the in-patient unit of a Paediatric Hospital in Athens completed a questionnaire with demographic and their children's disease related characteristics and the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale.

Results: Sixty mothers (70.6%) and 25 fathers (29.4%) completed the questionnaire. A percentage of 29.4% of the parents included in this study considered themselves anxious. Elementary or secondary school graduates scored higher in Seeking Spiritual Support (p = 0.013). Stay-at-home or unemployed parents scored lower in the subscale of Passive Appraisal (p = 0.012). Parents who were very well informed tended to exhibit more frequently passive appraisal behavior (p = 0.004). Parents whose child had Hodgkin's lymphoma scored higher in the subscale of Acquiring Social Support (p = 0.034). Statistical significance was found between parent's strategies of Seeking Spiritual Support and the gender (girls) (p = 0.036), as well as the treatment problems (p = 0.008) of hospitalized children.

Conclusions: This study may help health professionals understand Greek families' coping strategies when they have a child with cancer. Appropriate knowledge could significantly help them in the field of planning and implementation of personalized care in order to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes.

Keywords: Children; Coping; Parents; Pediatric cancer.