Mothers' adaptation to childhood cancer: an analysis of family process stressors, family system resources, parental coping patterns, and parental adaptation among mothers of children with cancer

Abstract

Family process stressors, family system resources, parental coping patterns, and parental adaptation were assessed for 58 mothers who had a child with cancer who was being seen at selected pediatric hematology-oncology centers in two Southeastern states. The respondents completed a self-report questionnaire containing the Coping and Health Inventory for Parents, five subscales from the Family Environment Scale, and items asking demographic questions. The dependent measure was the Parental Adaptation Assessment, a modified version of the Spinetta Family Adjustment Scale, developed for this study to measure parents’ perception of their adaptation to the experience of caring for a child with cancer. The criteria for subject inclusion in the study were: (a) two parents living in the home; and, (b) the child’s cancer diagnosis was to have occurred not less than 3 months and not more than 4 years prior to data collection. The Double ABCX Model of Family Adaptation was used as the basis for variable selection.

Frequency distributions, correlations between the 11 independent variables and mother’s adaptation, and a stepwise regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Two family process stressors (conflict and control) and two family system resources (cohesion and expressiveness) were significantly (p < .05) correlated with mother’s adaptation. The regression analyses showed that two variables (cohesion and mother’s age) explained 34% of the variance in mother’s adaptation.

Results show family cohesion and mother’s age to be the only significant predictors of her perceived adaptation. Family process stressors and parental coping patterns failed to account for any significant variance in mother’s adaptation. Implications for family stress theory, psychosocial oncology research, and family therapy practice are discussed. Recommendations for further research are suggested.