Maria Regina Morales

Functioning of Family System in Pediatric Oncology During Treatment Phase

The study focuses on parents’ psychological implications caused by the treatment of their children suffering from tumor. It investigates some specific mothers’ resource factors such as their strategies of coping and the perception of their own family functioning in terms of cohesion and adaptability. The study was performed with 34 mothers of children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), during the treatment phase. The used tools were the Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced—New Italian Version, to investigate coping strategies, and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale-III, to analyze both real and ideal perception of family functioning. The data related to coping, show how the involved mothers tend to mainly use the strategies of positive aptitude, orientation toward problem and social support (F = 99.88, df = 4, P < .01). The family functioning, in terms of adaptability, is described as chaotic relating to both the real (χ2 = 13.29, df = 3, P = .004) and ideal (χ2 = 11.52, df = 2, P = .003) family, whereas in terms of cohesion, it is perceived as chiefly disengaged in the real family (χ2 = 12.3, df = 3, P = .006) and as enmeshed in the ideal one (χ2 = 12.58, df = 3, P = .006). Statistically positive correlations were only detected between adaptability and avoidance (r = 0.49, P < .01); adaptability and orientation toward problem (r = 0.36, P < .05); and adaptability and transcendent orientation (r = −0.04, P < .05). Despite the critical situation, the mothers have shown optimistic view, care for problem management and capability to ask for help. These coping strategies allow the therapeutic alliance between families and health care workers, so useful for the quality of childcare.

Maternal Coping Strategies in Response to a Child’s Chronic and Oncological Disease: a Cross-Cultural Study in Italy and Portugal

A child’s oncological or chronic disease is a stressful situation for parents. This stress may make it difficult for appropriate management strategies aimed at promoting the child’s wellbeing and helping him or her cope with a disease to be adopted. In particular, this study focuses on the possible connections between the variable national cultural influences and the parental strategies used to cope with a child’s severe disease by comparing the experiences of Italian and Portuguese mothers. The study investigates differences and cross-cultural elements among the coping strategies used by Italian and Portuguese mothers of children with oncological or chronic disease. Two groups of mothers took part: 59 Italian mothers (average age 37.7 years; SD=4.5) and 36 Portuguese mothers (average age 39.3 years; SD=4.6). The tool used was the Italian and the Portuguese versions of the COPE inventory that measures five coping strategies: Social Support, Avoidance Coping, Positive Aptitude, Religious Faith and Humor, Active Coping. There were statistically significant differences between Portuguese and Italian mothers regarding Social Support (F(3, 94)=6.32, P=0.014, ɳ2=0.065), Religious Faith and Humor (F(3, 94)=20.06, P=0.001, ɳ2=0.18, higher values for Portuguese mothers) and Avoidance Coping (F(3, 94)=3.30, P=0.06, ɳ2=0.035, higher values for Italian mothers). Regarding child’s disease, the only statistically significant difference was in Religious Faith and Humor (F(3, 94)=7.49, P=0.007, ɳ2=0.076, higher values for mothers of children with chronic disease). The findings of specific cultural transversalities provide the basis for reflection on important factors emerging on the relationship between physicians and parents. In fact, mothers’ coping abilities may allow health workers involved in a child’s care not only to understand how parents face a distressful event, but also to provide them with professional support.

Mother- and father-infant interactions at 3 months of corrected age: The effect of severity of preterm birth

Early interactions of 92 preterm infants with their mothers (n=54) and fathers (n=38) were explored at 3 months using CARE-Index. Results showed differences in interactions based on parents gender, with higher control in mothers and unresponsiveness in fathers, while no effect of severity of birth weight emerged.