The existing literature on adaptation to childhood cancer is integrated within the stress and coping paradigm (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) to demonstrate its functional utility. The coping resources (i.e. psychological and social resources) and coping efforts of 21 children (9 male, 12 female) diagnosed with cancer were assessed and compared with standardized norms. Within-group differences were explored as the cancer sample was subdivided by stage of therapy (i) newly diagnosed, (ii) currently in treatment, and (iii) off treatment. Results suggest that children with cancer differed significantly from typical children on measures of coping effort (Coping Inventory) in that they demonstrated relatively more adaptive and efficient coping behavior as compared to their normative peers. Children with cancer differed slightly from typical children on measures of psychological resources (Assessment of Coping Style) such that they utilized a slightly more restrictive style of coping. Children with cancer did not differ significantly from normative children on measures of social resources (Social Support Scale for Children). The data are analyzed and discussed with reference to mediating factors including developmental stage, gender, and stage of illness.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.26346 |
| Date | January 1994 |
| Creators | Tsanos, Andrea P. |
| Contributors | Derevensky, Jeffrey L. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Arts (Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001431290, proquestno: MM99943, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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