When Mom or Dad Has Cancer: II. Coping, Cognitive Appraisals, and Psychological Distress in Children of Cancer Patients

Cognitive appraisals and coping were examined in children, adolescents, and young adults ( N = 134) faced with the diagnosis of cancer in a parent. All 3 age groups perceived low personal control and high external control over their parent's illness and used relatively little problem-focused co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health psychology 1996-05, Vol.15 (3), p.167-175
Main Authors: Compas, Bruce E, Worsham, Nancy L, Ey, Sydney, Howell, David C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adolescent
Adult
Anxiety - complications
Cancer
Child
Children
Cognitions
Cognitive Appraisal
Coping Behavior
Depression - complications
Distress
Female
Human
Humans
Male
Neoplasms
Neoplasms - psychology
Offspring
Parent Child Relations
Parents
Psychological distress
Regression Analysis
Stress, Psychological - complications
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Summary:Cognitive appraisals and coping were examined in children, adolescents, and young adults ( N = 134) faced with the diagnosis of cancer in a parent. All 3 age groups perceived low personal control and high external control over their parent's illness and used relatively little problem-focused coping. Adolescents and young adults reported more emotion-focused coping and dual-focused coping (both problem-and emotion-focused in intent) than did preadolescent children. Stage and prognosis of parent's cancer were related to appraisals of greater seriousness and stressfulness, and to more avoidance; however, only appraisals of stress were related to symptoms of anxiety-depression. Emotion-focused coping was related to greater avoidance and to higher symptoms of anxiety-depression; coping and control beliefs did not interact in their association with anxiety-depression symptoms.
ISSN:0278-6133
1930-7810
DOI:10.1037/0278-6133.15.3.167