A systematic narrative review of the studies on structured child‐centred interventions for families with a parent with cancer

Niemelä, Mika; Hakko, Helinä; Räsänen, Sami

doi:10.1002/pon.1620

Cited by 80 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…This intervention confirms the previous studies about the importance of an open communication to support children to face with cancer's diagnosis [5,10,[14][15][16]. The project highlights the advantages of direct engagement of children in the communication of the parent's illness to improve the relationships within the family.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

How to Explain the Parent's Cancer to their Children: A Specific Intervention to Enhance Communication Inside the Family

Gallina¹,

Mazza²

2016

Clinics Mother Child Health

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Objective: This article describes a multidisciplinary intervention dedicated to patients with cancer and with underage children. It is well known that children of severely ill parents can develop emotional and behavioral problems. Different studies underline the efficacy of an open communication with children about the parent's illness to reduce distress but also the difficulties of parents to explain it to their children. The intervention, realized at San Gerardo Hospital, aims to inform or improve the children's knowledge of their parent's cancer, and to open communication about cancer inside the family.Methods: This intervention is characterized by the integration of a psychologist and a pediatric hematooncologist and by the direct involvement of children. After the fact-finding parents sessions, the pediatric hematooncologist and the psychologist meet children in specific settings, without parents present, to describe, with the support of images and metaphors, the parent's cancer and to understand children's needs or fears. In particular the pediatric hemato-oncologyst uses the flowered garden metaphor to explain to children the parent's illness and the treatments. Then the clinicians share the content of the previous sessions with parents. Counseling sessions to parents are also organized to increase the parental competence and the sharing of cancer-related concerns in the family. In addition, a specific questionnaire has been realized to evaluate children's psychological conditions after the intervention, family atmosphere and parents' satisfaction.Results: 36 families and 53 children have participated in the project up to now. The results of the questionnaires have underlined the absence of psychopathological symptoms in children, the presence of more collaboration in the families and more possibilities in the family to have an open communication about the cancer. In addition, most of the parents reported a considerable satisfaction with the intervention. Conclusion:Support for open communication in the family about cancer should be acknowledged as an important aspect of oncology care to reduce family stress.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

How to Explain the Parent's Cancer to their Children: A Specific Intervention to Enhance Communication Inside the Family

Gallina¹,

Mazza²

2016

Clinics Mother Child Health

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“…Problems such as disordered sleeping, compulsive behavior, and anxiety lasted longer [22] while uncertainty and helplessness decreased [21,45]. Although other reviews have concluded that the impact of parental cancer on later functioning cannot be determined due to insufficient evidence [65], one considered study found that negative emotional reactions were mostly unrelated to later functioning [45] which was reflected in a separate 12-month study [66]. This study was not included in this review as it failed to meet criteria due to considering children above 18 years.…”

Section: Impact Of Cancermentioning

confidence: 98%

The well-being of children impacted by a parent with cancer: an integrative review

Morris

Martini

Preen

2016

Support Care Cancer

110

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“…Finally, it is also important for clinicians to provide help for those in need. In this respect, the results of a recent literature review are encouraging, indicating that family interventions can have positive impacts on adolescents' psychosocial well-being, lead to positive changes in cancer-related worries, and decrease distress symptoms (Niemela, Hakko, & Rasanen, 2010).…”

Section: Clinical Levels Of Psychological Distressmentioning

confidence: 95%

Psychological Distress Among Adolescents Living with a Parent with Advanced Cancer

Rainville

Dumont

Simard

et al. 2012

Journal of Psychosocial Oncology

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The objective of this exploratory study was to evaluate the impact of advanced parental cancer on adolescents' psychological status. A sample of 28 adolescents, having a parent with advanced cancer, was recruited and compared with a sample from the general population (N = 2,346). Late adolescents (age 15 to 18) experienced significantly more psychological distress than early adolescents (age 12 to 14). Moreover, late adolescents experienced significantly higher psychological distress than the general population for the same age group, which was not the case for early adolescents. Implications for adolescents living in families touched by advanced cancer are discussed.

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A systematic narrative review of the studies on structured child‐centred interventions for families with a parent with cancer

Cited by 80 publications

References 29 publications

How to Explain the Parent's Cancer to their Children: A Specific Intervention to Enhance Communication Inside the Family

How to Explain the Parent's Cancer to their Children: A Specific Intervention to Enhance Communication Inside the Family

The well-being of children impacted by a parent with cancer: an integrative review

Psychological Distress Among Adolescents Living with a Parent with Advanced Cancer

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