Posttraumatic Growth in Parents and Pediatric Patients

Abstract

Background: Pediatric medical experiences are potentially traumatic but may lead to psychological growth. Objective: The study objective was to synthesize the published literature regarding posttraumatic growth (PTG) in parents and patients with serious pediatric illness (SPI) into a conceptual model. Methods: We systematically searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Sociological Abstracts in December 2012 to identify articles on stress or trauma caused by medical events with PTG as an outcome, reviewing articles pertaining to the pediatric population. We additionally reviewed articles outside pediatric medicine that described a model of PTG. Results: Of the 605 articles identified, 55 met inclusion criteria, 26 of which examined parents or pediatric patients. Parents and children may experience PTG following medical trauma through a combination of cognitive and affective processing of their subjective experience. Components of SPI-PTG are unclear, but may include greater appreciation of life, improved interpersonal relationships, greater personal strength, recognition of new possibilities in one's life course, spiritual or religious growth, and reconstruction of a positive body image. Individual characteristics, and the level of social support, may affect the likelihood that SPI-PTG will occur. SPI-PTG in siblings and other family members has not been well studied. Conclusions: SPI-PTG is an important but understudied and inadequately understood phenomenon affecting children with SPI and their family members. Research should focus on clarifying SPI-PTG domains, creating measurement instruments, assessing SPI-PTG across the pediatric age range and among family members, and improving our understanding of and ability to positively intervene regarding the cognitive processes of rumination, sense making, and benefit finding.

How parents describe the positive aspects of parenting their child who has intellectual disabilities: A systematic review and narrative synthesis

“…However, study 16 reported that families with older children (ages 15–17) were more likely to see positive aspects of their situation than those with younger children (6–8 years). In many studies relating to adversity, there is mixed evidence as to when any benefit finding occurs (Helgeson et al, ; Joseph & Linley, ; Picoraro, Womer, Kazak, & Feudtner, ; Zoellner & Maercker, ). It has also been argued that benefit finding is superficial and transient in nature (Tennen & Affleck, ) as opposed to PTG which results in changes to a person's core schema (Janoff‐Bulman, ).…”

Association of Posttraumatic Growth and Illness‐Related Burden With Psychosocial Factors of Patient, Family, and Provider in Pediatric Cancer Survivors

“…Aware of their newfound emotional strength, these individuals may feel and acknowledge personal growth. Research has supported this conceptual model across various types of trauma in young people (Meyerson et al., ; Picoraro, Womer, Kazak, & Feudtner, ).…”

“…Although they have found a positive association between PTSS and PTG (Arpawong, Oland, Milam, Ruccione, & Meeske, ; Wilson, Morris, & Chambers, ), the strength of the association was relatively modest, with one meta‐analysis reporting a mean correlation of only .13 (Shand, Cowlishaw, Brooker, Burney, & Ricciardelli, ). Research has also shown that the association varies across studies as a function of trauma type, duration of follow‐up, and patient age (Picoraro et al., ). In a recent meta‐analysis of this relationship, Shakespeare‐Finch and Lurie‐Beck () concluded that the association was moderate and probably curvilinear (quadratic), but the magnitude of the difference between linear and quadratic terms was modest and varied by trauma type and patient age.…”

Personal resources and posttraumatic growth of parents struggling with cancer disease of their child

“…[11]. Prowadzone, choć nieliczne, badania dostarczyły także dowodów na występowanie pozytywnych zmian u rodziców zmagających się z chorobą nowotworową dziecka.…”