This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Shapiro, J. Articles by Warden, M. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Shapiro, J. Articles by Warden, M. J. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Importance of Family Functioning to Caregiver Adaptation in Mothers of Child Cancer Patients: Testing a Social Ecological Model

Department of Family Medicine, UCI Medical Center, Bldg 200, Rt 81, 101 The City Drive South, Orange, CA 92868-3298

Myriam Perez, MSIV

Departments of Family Medicine and Surgery, University of California, Irvine, CA.

M. James Warden, MD

Departments of Family Medicine and Surgery, University of California, Irvine, CA.

This study was designed to investigate associations between family relationships, personal-psychological caregiver adaptation (ie, depressive symptomatology, sense of burden), and ability to function within the health care system (perceived doctor-parent relationship) in mothers of child cancer patients. Data were collected through a survey of a sample of 29 mothers whose children were diagnosed with some form of childhood cancer, mainly leukemia. Family functioning was positively related to both caregiver adaptation and doctor-parent relationship. Mothers who reported decreased maternal depression and burden were significantly more likely to report respectively improved spousal relationships and improved spousal communication. Mothers reporting more positive doctor-parent relationships also described themselves as having improved relationships with spouse and child, and improved spousal communication. Maternal well-being and doctor-parent relationship were not directly related. By suggesting that both intrapsychic and instrumental maternal adaptation are influenced by positive relationships in the family, this study provides support for the social ecological model of stress. The possibility that family factors exert a direct influence on both caregiver intrapsychic well-being and instrumental skills argues for the importance of their being carefully considered in any models evaluating caregiver adaptation.

Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, Vol. 15, No. 1, 47-54 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/104345429801500107


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. N. Clarke and P. Fletcher Communication Issues Faced by Parents Who have a Child Diagnosed with Cancer Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, July 1, 2003; 20(4): 175 - 191. [Abstract] [PDF]