SIBLING ADAPTATION TO CHILDHOOD-CANCER COLLABORATIVE STUDY - SIBLINGSPERCEPTIONS OF THE CANCER EXPERIENCE

Investigated responses of siblings (N = 254) of children with cancer t o structured interviews designed to elicit thoughts and feelings about effects of cancer on self and family. Siblings indicated distress abo ut family separations and disruptions, lack of attention, focus of fam ily on the ill child, negative feelings in themselves and family membe rs, cancer treatments and their effects, and fear of death. Siblings a lso reported becoming more compassionate, families becoming closer, an d having experiences they otherwise would not have had. Age and gender differences in responses indicated distinctive perceptions of and vul nerability to the cancer experience. Older siblings were far more like ly to report positive effects than younger siblings suggesting that le vel of maturity can moderate the stress of an ill child within the fam ily.