Improved parent-child communication following a RCT evaluating a legacy intervention for children with advanced cancer
pediatric; palliative care; cancer; parent-child communication; parent-child relationship; father-child relationship; family relationships; web-based intervention
Although legacy-building is a priority for quality palliative care, research has rarely examined effects of legacy interventions in children, particularly their impact on parent-child communication. We examined the impact of a web-based legacy intervention on parent-child communication. Facebook advertisements were used to recruit families of children (ages 7-17) with relapsed/refractory cancer. Parent-child dyads were randomly assigned to the intervention or usual care group. The intervention website guided children to create digital storyboards over 2 weeks by directing them to answer legacy questions about themselves and upload photographs, videos, and music. Families received a copy of the child's final digital story. Children and parents completed the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale pre- (T1) and post-intervention (T2). Linear regressions tested for differences in change from T1 to T2 between the groups controlling for T1 values using an alpha of P<0.05. Intervention effects were measured using Cohen's d. Ninety-seven parent-child dyads were included for analysis. Changes in parent-child communication were not statistically significantly different between the groups, yet meaningful intervention effects were observed. The strongest effects were observed for improving father-child communication (Cohen's d = -0.22-0.33). Legacy-making shows promise to facilitate improved parent-child communication, particularly for fathers. Clinical Trials Registry: Number NCT04059393. Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Akard T F; Dietrich M S; Friedman D L; Gerhardt C A; Given B; Hendricks-Ferguson V; Hinds P S; Ridner S H; Beckmann N; Gilmer M J
Progress in Palliative Care
2020
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1080/09699260.2020.1826778" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1080/09699260.2020.1826778</a>
Communication between parents and well-siblings in the context of living with a child with a life-threatening or life-limiting condition
communication; life-limiting illness; Life-threatening condition; parent-child communication; parents; siblings
Effective parent-child communication may serve to buffer the potential negative impacts of stressful situations on a child. Children who have a brother or sister with a life-threatening or life-limiting medical condition may turn to their parents for help with comprehending the situation, to help maintain their own ability to function across various life areas or to receive emotional support. There is a need for more investigation into the nature and importance of parent-child communication in the context of living with a seriously ill brother or sister. The current paper presents a framework of parent-sibling communication in the context of living with a seriously unwell child, distinguishing the focus of communication (illness-related vs. non-illness-related) and the purpose of communication (information-provision vs. emotional support). Such a framework offers a holistic approach to exploring some of the challenges of communication between parents and well-siblings. The state of current knowledge regarding the focus and purpose of communication between parents and well-siblings is reviewed, and implications for research and possible clinical applications discussed. Copyright © 2020 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians)
Jaaniste T; Tan S C; Aouad P; Trethewie S
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
2020
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15138" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1111/jpc.15138</a>