Coping with the unfamiliar: How do children cope with hospitalization in relation to acute and/or critical illness? A...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Child Health Outcomes
• Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

• Hospitalization presents significant challenges for young children facing acute or critical illness.
• Understanding children's coping mechanisms is crucial for improving their healthcare experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe how young children cope with hospitalization during acute and/or critical illness.
• To explore the strategies children employ to manage the unfamiliar aspects of their hospital stay.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative meta-synthesis approach.
• Exhaustive literature search identifying six relevant studies.
• Taxonomic analysis of collected data.

Main Results:

• Hospitalized children encounter numerous challenges due to their illness and the hospital environment.
• A primary challenge is coping with the 'unfamiliar' across physical, emotional, and relational domains.
• Children employ strategies to normalize the hospital stay, meet basic needs, and create familiarity.

Conclusions:

• Children actively strive to maintain their integrity and adapt to hospitalization.
• Coping behaviors are essential for children to navigate the complexities of illness and hospital environments.
• Findings highlight the need for supportive interventions tailored to children's coping needs.