Positive interventions in seriously-ill children: Effects on well-being after granting a wish

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Child Health Interventions
• Psychosocial Oncology

Background:

• Seriously-ill children often experience significant psychological distress and physical discomfort.
• Positive interventions are being explored to improve the quality of life for these children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a wish-granting intervention on the psychological and physical well-being of seriously-ill children.
• To assess changes in positive emotions, life satisfaction, personal strengths, nausea, and pain following a wish intervention.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial design was employed.
• Participants included seriously-ill children and their parents, assigned to either a wish group or a waiting-list control group.
• Measures were taken before the wish and three weeks later for the wish group, with equivalent timing for the control group.

Main Results:

• The wish intervention group showed significant increases in positive emotions, life satisfaction, and personal strengths compared to the control group.
• Nausea rates were significantly reduced in the wish group.
• Mothers in the wish group reported perceived improvements in their children's benefit finding and quality of life.

Conclusions:

• Wish-granting interventions can be a valuable tool in promoting positive psychological and physical changes in seriously-ill children.
• This intervention positively impacts children's emotional state, life satisfaction, and physical symptoms, contributing to an improved quality of life.