Parents' perceptions of their quality of life

The purpose of this study was to assess parents' perceptions of their quality of life after the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in their child. The following questions were addressed: (1) How do parents of children with cancer perceive their quality of life; (2) How do parents of children with cancer perceive their quality of life compared with before their child was diagnosed; and (3) Is there a statistically significant difference in parents' quality of life perceptions now as compared with before their child had cancer? Using Roy's Adaptation Model as a theoretical framework, a descriptive study research design was used with a convenience sample of 30 parents. Data collection involved parental completion of the Varricchio-Wright Impact of Cancer Questionnaire-Parents, a 17-item instrument measuring parental quality of life in each of Roy's domains, and a Demographic Information Form. Measures of central tendency were used to describe the sample and to answer the first two research questions; student's t-test was used to answer the third. Results indicated that this sample of parents perceived their quality of life now as good, but not as good as before their child was diagnosed with cancer. There was a statistically significant difference in parents' perceptions of their quality of life now and before their child was diagnosed with cancer. The significance of this study related to nursing practice and research is discussed and recommendations for future research are given.