Functioning of family system in pediatric oncology during treatment phase

Abstract

The study focuses on parents’ psychological implications caused by the treatment of their children suffering from tumor. It investigates some specific mothers’ resource factors such as their strategies of coping and the perception of their own family functioning in terms of cohesion and adaptability. The study was performed with 34 mothers of children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL),duringthetreatmentphase.TheusedtoolsweretheCopingOrientationtoProblem Experienced—New Italian Version, to investigate coping strategies, and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale-III, to analyze both real and ideal perception of family functioning. The data related to coping, show how the involved mothers tend to mainly use the strategies of positive aptitude, orientation toward problem and social support ( F = 99.88, d f= 4, P< .01). The family functioning, in terms of adaptabilit y, is described as chaotic relating to both the real (χ2 = 13.29,d f =3, P=.004)andideal(χ2=11.52,d f=2, P=.003)family,whereasintermsof cohesion, itisperceivedaschieflydisengagedintherealfamily(χ2 =12.3,d f=3, P=.006)andasenmeshed in the ideal one (χ2 = 12.58, d f= 3, P= .006). Statistically positive correlations were only detected between adaptability and avoidance ( r = 0.49, P< .01); adaptability and orientation toward problem (r = 0.36, P< .05); and adaptability and transcendent orientation ( r =−0.04, P< .05). Despitethecriticalsituation,themothershaveshownoptimisticview,careforproblemmanagementandcapabilitytoaskforhelp.Thesecopingstrategiesallowthetherapeuticalliancebetween families and health care workers, so useful for the quality of childcarThe study focuses on parents’ psychological implications caused by the treatment of their children suffering from tumor. It investigates some specific mothers’ resource factors such as their strategies of coping and the perception of their own family functioning in terms of cohesion and adaptability. The study was performed with 34 mothers of children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL),duringthetreatmentphase.TheusedtoolsweretheCopingOrientationtoProblem Experienced—New Italian Version, to investigate coping strategies, and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale-III, to analyze both real and ideal perception of family functioning. The data related to coping, show how the involved mothers tend to mainly use the strategies of positive aptitude, orientation toward problem and social support ( F = 99.88, d f= 4, P< .01). The family functioning, in terms of adaptabilit y, is described as chaotic relating to both the real (χ2 = 13.29,d f =3, P=.004)andideal(χ2=11.52,d f=2, P=.003)family,whereasintermsof cohesion, itisperceivedaschieflydisengagedintherealfamily(χ2 =12.3,d f=3, P=.006)andasenmeshed in the ideal one (χ2 = 12.58, d f= 3, P= .006). Statistically positive correlations were only detected between adaptability and avoidance ( r = 0.49, P< .01); adaptability and orientation toward problem (r = 0.36, P< .05); and adaptability and transcendent orientation ( r =−0.04, P< .05). Despitethecriticalsituation,themothershaveshownoptimisticview,careforproblemmanagementandcapabilitytoaskforhelp.Thesecopingstrategiesallowthetherapeuticalliancebetween families and health care workers, so useful for the quality of childcare