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My Kite Will Fly: Improving Communication and Understanding in Young Children When a Mother Is Diagnosed with Life-Threatening Gynecological Cancer.
- Source :
-
Journal of palliative medicine [J Palliat Med] 2018 Jan; Vol. 21 (1), pp. 78-84. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Aug 04. - Publication Year :
- 2018
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Abstract
- Study Aims: The My Kite Will Fly (MKWF) research program is built on the well-documented need for effective clinical communication tools and therapeutic interventions where a child's mother is diagnosed with life-threatening gynecological cancer.<br />Methods: The Dignity Model and Child-Centered approach were two key study foundations in this pilot cohort. Quantitative survey and qualitative semistructured methods were employed to gather data from patient families at three distinct phases: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Palliative care. Participants were identified from patient groups at The Royal Women's Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, Australia. A purposive sample (n = 36 children) (24 girls and 12 boys aged between 3 and 12 years) drawn from 19 families completed structured art therapy workbook activities. The principal researcher and a specialist educational assistant undertook cross-case thematic analysis of all interviews and children's drawings.<br />Results: Five central themes were profiled in six illustrative case studies. Interviews with all families (n = 19) showed 86.1% positive evaluation of the MKWF workbook template at diagnosis. During treatments, 66.6% of parents reported better understanding of the chemotherapy process and better communication with younger family members. At palliative care, 97.3% of families reported stabilization of family routines and improved illness coping. Exit interviews with six children and surviving parents (n = 4) showed that the program substantially prepared them for parental bereavement.<br />Conclusions: Results from this pilot cohort confirm the importance of enhanced parent-child communication and stabilized family routines. Current results provide an important platform for future evaluative research among larger patient-family populations across multisite oncology settings.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1557-7740
- Volume :
- 21
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of palliative medicine
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 28777677
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2017.0058