Coping and Adjustment in Children with Cancer: a Meta-analytic Study

Overview

Journal J Behav Med

Specialty Social Sciences

Date 2006 Dec 21

PMID 17180639

Citations 27

Authors

Arianna A Aldridge

Scott C Roesch

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The current meta-analysis assessed the efficacy of coping strategies on psychological and physical adjustment in children with cancer (n = 1230). Coping strategies were operationalized in accordance with two coping taxonomies; the first is based on the general orientation of the child's coping attempts (approach or avoidance), and the second is based upon coping efforts to regulate the stressor and/or feelings of distress attributed to it (problem-focused and emotion-focused). Approach, avoidance, and emotion-focused coping were unrelated to overall adjustment. A small-to-medium but negative association was found between problem-focused coping and adjustment, indicating more use of the strategies that compose this dimension are associated with poorer adjustment. However, homogeneity analyses also indicated significant variation for all of these effect sizes. Follow-up moderator analyses found coping-adjustment relations were both dependent upon time since diagnosis and the particular stressor the child was dealing with during treatment.

Citing Articles

The long-term impact of cerebellar tumor resection on executive functioning, anxiety, and fear of pain: A mixed methodology pilot study.

Lunde C, Dudek M, Talbert C, Sieberg C, Silva K, Papadelis C Appl Neuropsychol Child. 2024; :1-11.

PMID: 38604218 PMC: 11467132. DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2024.2337208.

Examining Coping Strategies and Their Relation with Anxiety: Implications for Children Diagnosed with Cancer or Type 1 Diabetes and Their Caregivers.

Spaggiari S, Calignano G, Montanaro M, Zaffani S, Cecinati V, Maffeis C Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024; 21(1).

PMID: 38248541 PMC: 10815397. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21010077.

Early-childhood temperament moderates the prospective associations of coping with adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

Smith M, Parrish K, Shimomaeda L, Zalewski M, Rosen M, Rodman A Front Psychol. 2022; 13:1011095.

PMID: 36438327 PMC: 9686381. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1011095.

Total Pain and Illness Acceptance in Pelvic Cancer Patients: Exploring Self-Efficacy and Stress in a Moderated Mediation Model.

Krok D, Telka E, Zarzycka B Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(15).

PMID: 35954987 PMC: 9368026. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159631.

Fear, Psychological Impact, and Coping During the Initial Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic Among the General Population in India.

Nagabhirava G, Godi S, Goel A Cureus. 2022; 13(12):e20317.

PMID: 35028216 PMC: 8747978. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.20317.

References

Dahlquist L, Pendley J, Landthrip D, Jones C, Steuber C . Distraction intervention for preschoolers undergoing intramuscular injections and subcutaneous port access. Health Psychol. 2002; 21(1):94-9. View

Brown J, Brown R, Miller R, Dunn S, King M, Coates A . Coping with metastatic melanoma: the last year of life. Psychooncology. 2000; 9(4):283-92. DOI: 10.1002/1099-1611(200007/08)9:4<283::aid-pon460>3.0.co;2-n. View

Compas B, Wadsworth M, Thomsen A, SALTZMAN H . Responses to stress in adolescence: measurement of coping and involuntary stress responses. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2001; 68(6):976-92. View

Vitaliano P, DeWolfe D, Maiuro R, Russo J, Katon W . Appraised changeability of a stressor as a modifier of the relationship between coping and depression: a test of the hypothesis of fit. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1990; 59(3):582-92. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.59.3.582. View

Aspinwall L, Taylor S . Modeling cognitive adaptation: a longitudinal investigation of the impact of individual differences and coping on college adjustment and performance. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1992; 63(6):989-1003. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.63.6.989. View

Heckhausen J, Schulz R . A life-span theory of control. Psychol Rev. 1995; 102(2):284-304. DOI: 10.1037/0033-295x.102.2.284. View

Ayres A, Hoon P, Franzoni J, Matheny K, Cotanch P, Takayanagi S . Influence of mood and adjustment to cancer on compliance with chemotherapy among breast cancer patients. J Psychosom Res. 1994; 38(5):393-402. DOI: 10.1016/0022-3999(94)90100-7. View

Crom D, Chathaway D, Tolley E, Mulhern R, Hudson M . Health status and health-related quality of life in long-term adult survivors of pediatric solid tumors. Int J Cancer Suppl. 2000; 12:25-31. DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(1999)83:12+<25::aid-ijc6>3.0.co;2-q. View

Tyc V, Mulhern R, Jayawardene D, Fairclough D . Chemotherapy-induced nausea and emesis in pediatric cancer patients: an analysis of coping strategies. J Pain Symptom Manage. 1995; 10(5):338-47. DOI: 10.1016/0885-3924(95)00019-u. View

10.

Frank N, Blount R, Brown R . Attributions, coping, and adjustment in children with cancer. J Pediatr Psychol. 1997; 22(4):563-76. DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/22.4.563. View

11.

Masel C, Terry D, Gribble M . The effects of coping on adjustment: Re-examining the goodness of fit model of coping effectiveness. Anxiety Stress Coping. 2011; 9(4):279-300. DOI: 10.1080/10615809608249407. View

12.

Dowling J, Hockenberry M, Gregory R . Sense of humor, childhood cancer stressors, and outcomes of psychosocial adjustment, immune function, and infection. J Pediatr Oncol Nurs. 2004; 20(6):271-92. DOI: 10.1177/1043454203254046. View

13.

Folkman S, Lazarus R . If it changes it must be a process: study of emotion and coping during three stages of a college examination. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1985; 48(1):150-70. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.48.1.150. View

14.

Phipps S, Steele R . Repressive adaptive style in children with chronic illness. Psychosom Med. 2002; 64(1):34-42. DOI: 10.1097/00006842-200201000-00006. View

15.

Brown J, OKeeffe J, Sanders S, Baker B . Developmental changes in children's cognition to stressful and painful situations. J Pediatr Psychol. 1986; 11(3):343-57. DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/11.3.343. View

16.

Compas B, SALTZMAN H, Thomsen A, Wadsworth M . Coping with stress during childhood and adolescence: problems, progress, and potential in theory and research. Psychol Bull. 2001; 127(1):87-127. View

17.

Phipps S, Srivastava D . Repressive adaptation in children with cancer. Health Psychol. 1997; 16(6):521-8. DOI: 10.1037//0278-6133.16.6.521. View

18.

Compas B, Malcarne V, Fondacaro K . Coping with stressful events in older children and young adolescents. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1988; 56(3):405-11. DOI: 10.1037//0022-006x.56.3.405. View

19.

Wertlieb D, Weigel C, Feldstein M . Measuring children's coping. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1987; 57(4):548-560. DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.1987.tb03570.x. View

20.

Altshuler J, Ruble D . Developmental changes in children's awareness of strategies for coping with uncontrollable stress. Child Dev. 1989; 60(6):1337-49. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1989.tb04007.x. View