Children's coping with surgery: a process-oriented perspective

Assessing the manner in which children cope with surgery, by using a process-oriented perspective, requires attention to each child's viewpoint of the surgical event. Assessing coping as a process places great emphasis on the way a child appraises the event, which in turn determines the coping modes adopted. Illustrations are given from research with pediatric surgical patients that show how a coping interview based on a process-approach can be conducted clinically with children to gather data about their views of surgery and the ways they cope with it. Knowledge of how to assess coping that changes with appraisals provides nurses with the insight to clarify children's understanding of the event and to apply interventions to bolster children's coping and reduce the stress of both children and parents. Interventions for children and parents are suggested.