A coping intervention for mothers of children diagnosed with cancer: connecting theory and research

Abstract

There are approximately 13,500 children diagnosed with cancer every year in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Mothers of children newly diagnosed with cancer often exhibit symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety (Dunn et al., 2012; Fedele, Mullins, Wolfe-Christensen, & Carpentier, 2011; Felicity et al., 2009). This article describes the theoretical framework of a study which, coupled with previous research, was used to design a coping intervention to facilitate coping in mothers' of children newly diagnosed with cancer. The intervention is entitled Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment- Parents of Children with Cancer (COPE-PCC).

Keywords: Childhood cancer; Coping interventions; Mothers.