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Sibling response to childhood cancer: a new approach
Insights
Children with serious illnesses can impact siblings, but their responses aren't always pathological. Sibling knowledge of cancer relates to social competence, not behavior problems, highlighting unmet sibling needs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Childhood Oncology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Serious childhood illness significantly impacts siblings.
- Siblings may exhibit behavioral difficulties as a response.
- Understanding sibling psychological responses is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the psychological response of siblings to childhood cancer.
- To investigate the influence of sibling knowledge on their psychological response.
- To identify unmet needs of siblings of children with cancer.
Main Methods:
- Interviews with siblings and parents of pediatric cancer patients.
- Utilized the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist.
- Employed semi-structured 'Illness Knowledge' questionnaires.
Main Results:
- Siblings did not exhibit significant behavior problems.
- Higher sibling knowledge correlated with greater social competence.
- Knowledge level did not correlate with the prevalence of behavior problems.
- One-third of siblings discussed their feelings with no one.
Conclusions:
- Sibling responses to childhood cancer may not be inherently pathological.
- Sibling psychological response is influenced by social competence and illness knowledge.
- There is a need to address the emotional and informational needs of siblings.
Abstract:
It is well recognized that serious illness in children can have important consequences for siblings who may manifest their concerns as behavioural difficulty. The aim of the present study was to explore sibling psychological response to childhood cancer and to observe the effects that sibling knowledge had on their response. Siblings and parents of patients at the Children's Hospital, Birmingham, were interviewed using the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist and semi-structured 'Illness Knowledge' questionnaires designed by the first author. Siblings were not experiencing significant behaviour problems. The level of sibling knowledge about cancer was related to the level of sibling social competence but not to the prevalence of behaviour problems. One-third of the siblings were talking to no one at all about their feelings, and sibling feedback yielded some important sibling needs. It was concluded that sibling response to childhood cancer may not necessarily be pathological and may also be mediated by the level of sibling social competence as well as sibling knowledge.