Study published: How parents cope after childhood cancer treatment
In a recently published study in BMC Psychology, researchers from U-CARE explored how parents of children treated for cancer cope with cancer-related distress after treatment has ended. The study provides insights into both helpful and unhelpful coping strategies, which can inform the development of psychological support tailored to parents’ needs.
Understanding coping strategies
The end of a child’s cancer treatment is a vulnerable time for parents, often marked by emotional distress and lifestyle disruptions. In this qualitative study, the researchers interviewed 73 parents who participated in the ENGAGE feasibility study. The aim was to identify coping strategies used by parents and explore how these could inform adaptations of EJDeR, an internet-administered, low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (LICBT) based self-help intervention.
Different types of coping strategies
Parents described a wide range of coping strategies, sorted into primary and secondary control coping strategies by the researchers. The primary strategies included using specific tools and techniques, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and seeking support. The secondary strategies included acceptance and refocusing, adaptation to the situation with the help from others, and temporary distraction. Some parents described avoidance and distancing, which are examples of disengagement-focused coping strategies.
Implications for psychological support
The findings support the use of LICBT techniques in EJDeR to address disengagement-focused coping strategies, and highlight the need to enhance components that promote social support. By understanding the ways parents cope after their child’s treatment, researchers can better tailor interventions to meet their support needs.
Miro Anter
Link to the article
Read the paper ‘“It is today that counts, and today everything is fine”: coping strategies utilized by parents of children treated for cancer who seek psychological support - a qualitative study’. It is written by Johan Lundgren, Christina Reuther, Paul Farrand, Nina Lutvica, Ella Thiblin, Louise von Essen, and Joanne Woodford.