The Medical Context of Parental Coping With Childhood Cancer 1

This research assessed the extent to which contextual factors, especially the medical context, are related to the use o f specific coping strategies by 74 parents o f surviving children with cancer. Parents reported that they coped reasonably well by using information-seeking, problem-solving, help-seeking, maintaining emotional balance, relying on religion, being optimistic, denying, and accepting. More highly educated parents tended to use problem solving, optimism, and information seeking significantly more and denial significantly less than less well-educated parents. However, gender and income were unrelated to coping. The use o f specific coping strategies was not related to severity o f the child's medical condition, stress level or parents" own evaluations o f their coping effectiveness. However, the quality o f relations with the medical s taf f was strongly related to coping strategies. Use o f passive coping strategies was positively related to good relations with the medical staff.