Children with cancer: An examination of their coping and adaptive behavior

The existing literature on adaptation to childhood cancer is integrated within Lazarus and Folkman's stress and coping paradigm to demonstrate its functional usefulness. The coping resources (i.e., psychological and social resources) and coping efforts of 21 children (9 males and 12 females) diagnosed with cancer were assessed and were compared with standardized norms. Within-group differences were explored by subdividing the children by stage of therapy: (1) newly diagnosed, (2) currently in treatment, and (3) off treatment. The results, using a limited sample, suggested that children with cancer differed significantly from typical children on measures of coping effort in that they demonstrated relatively more adaptive and efficient coping behavior than did their normative peers. These findings may well be attributed to the multitude of hospital, school, familial, and psychological supports offered to the children. The data are analyzed and discussed with reference to mediating factors, including developmental stage, gender, stage of illness, and treatment effects.