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Published on: August 31, 2016
Patterns of toxic stress and trauma for pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT): creating a model of
Elizabeth Harman1, Helen Shoemark2
1Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Indiana University, School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Insights
Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) patients experience stress and trauma patterns. Music therapy offers a responsive model to mitigate these traumatic experiences during admission.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Child Psychology
- Music Therapy
Background:
- Invasive treatments like Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) can cause significant stress and trauma in children, potentially leading to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS).
- Limited understanding exists regarding the specific patterns of stress and trauma that emerge during a pediatric HSCT admission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolving patterns of toxic stress and trauma experienced by pediatric patients throughout their HSCT admission.
- To explore the role of music therapists in proactively addressing and mitigating the impact of these traumatic experiences within the interdisciplinary psychosocial care team.
Main Methods:
- A two-phase retrospective longitudinal multi-case study design was employed.
- Time series and template analyses were utilized to examine the data.
Main Results:
- Distinct patterns of toxic stress and trauma were identified in pediatric HSCT patients.
- A responsive music therapy care model was developed, tailored to the identified stress and trauma patterns.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the temporal patterns of stress and trauma is crucial for effective psychosocial support during pediatric HSCT.
- Music therapy can be integrated as a proactive intervention to mitigate the psychological impact of HSCT on children.
Background:
It is well documented that invasive medical treatment, such as Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT), can be stressful and potentially traumatic for children, leading to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) after treatment. Despite this evidence, little is known about the patterns of stress and trauma that develop throughout the HSCT admission.
Purpose:
To examine patterns of toxic stress and trauma that develop throughout the pediatric HSCT admission and understand how music therapists, as members of the interdisciplinary psychosocial care team, may proactively intervene to mitigate the impact of traumatic experiences.
Method:
A two-phase retrospective longitudinal multi-case design was used with a combination of time series and template analyses.
Sample:
The sample included 14 pediatric patients (aged 0-17) undergoing HSCT at a large pediatric hospital in the Midwestern United States.
Findings:
The results were identifiable patterns of toxic stress and trauma and a model of care for music therapy that is responsive to the identified patterns.
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