This Article Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free 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 Similar articles in PubMed 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 Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Callaghan, E. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Callaghan, E. E. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Bone Cancer Palliative Care Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Achieving Balance: A Case Study Examination of an Adolescent Coping With Life-Limiting Cancer

Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, Erin.Callaghan{at}iwk.nshealth.ca.

A single-case study approach was used to provide an in-depth examination of the special events that take place in an early adolescent's family as the adolescent attempts to adapt to living with life-limiting cancer. Through symptom control, hope, denial, and the achievement of developmental tasks such as peer group identification, independence, and autonomy, the early adolescent was able to demonstrate positive coping and adaptation. In the context of the Calgary Family Systems Model, the adolescent achieved individual system balance, which in turn enabled his family's systems to balance. The health care professional played an integral role in enabling the adolescent to accomplish his developmental tasks, which translated into facilitating adaptation.

Key Words: Key words: adolescent • coping • palliative care

Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, Vol. 24, No. 6, 334-339 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1043454207305296


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