Ba. Boyer et Lp. Barakat, MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH LEUKEMIA - SELF-REPORTED AND OBSERVED DISTRESS AND COPING DURING PAINFUL PEDIATRIC PROCEDURES, The American journal of family therapy, 24(3), 1996, pp. 227-241
Self-reported maternal coping, self-rated maternal distress, and obser
ved distress and coping behaviors were assessed during lumbar puncture
s (LP) with families of 45 patients with leukemia. Mothers' subscale m
eans for Ways of Coping Scale (WCS) were significantly higher for 4 of
8 dimensions in this sample than for a stressed community sample. Mot
hers displayed almost no overt distress, but reported moderate distres
s both before and after the procedure. Planful problem-solving and sel
f-controlling coping strategies showed correlations of moderate magnit
ude with observed maternal coping. In regression analyses, mothers' ob
served distress and coping were most strongly related to patient age a
nd patients' observed distress and coping. Findings are discussed in t
erms of identifying mothers at risk for greater distress and the diffi
culties in coping with procedures throughout childhood leukemia treatm
ent.