Children with serious illness: behavioral correlates of separation and isolation

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A R Hollenbeck, E J Susman, E D Nannis

    Child Psychiatry and Human Development
    |January 1, 1980
    PubMed

    Insights

    Parent-child separation during chemotherapy significantly impacts children, causing behavioral changes like agitation and depression. These findings highlight the need for interventions to mitigate separation

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Oncology
    • Child Psychology
    • Behavioral Science

    Background:

    • Separation from parents can negatively affect children's well-being.
    • Previous research in animals and human case studies indicates adverse effects of separation.
    • Children undergoing cancer treatment face unique stressors, including potential separation from caregivers.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the behavioral and physiological effects of parent-child separation in preschool children undergoing chemotherapy.
    • To compare findings in children with existing data from animal studies on separation.
    • To underscore the severity of separation-related distress in pediatric cancer patients.

    Main Methods:

    • Observational records were collected on four preschool children receiving chemotherapy.
    • Physiological data were obtained to assess the children's responses.
    • Behavioral sequences were analyzed to identify patterns.

    Main Results:

    • Children exhibited a distinct behavioral sequence: initial agitation followed by behavioral depression.
    • Observed effects in children paralleled findings reported in subhuman primate separation studies.
    • The study documented significant distress associated with separation during cancer treatment.

    Conclusions:

    • Parent-child separation poses serious risks to children undergoing chemotherapy.
    • Intervention strategies are crucial to alleviate the negative impacts of separation on pediatric cancer patients.
    • Further research should focus on developing and implementing supportive measures for these children and families.

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