Self-control, anxiety, and loneliness in siblings of children with cancer

Abstract

This study deals with sibling emotional response to the stress of childhood cancer in a brother or sister. Sixty-two healthy siblings aged 9 to 18 participated in the study. The children were asked to complete self-report questionnaires on state anxiety, loneliness, and self-control. The findings showed that the stress elicited emotional responses. Anxiety was related to the child's age and duration of the sibling's cancer, and loneliness was related to the child's sex and rank in the family. The outcomes also demonstrated a link between self-control as a coping skill and anxiety and loneliness as emotional distress responses. Healthy siblings' higher self-control rates were associated with their lower anxiety and loneliness reports. These findings support Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) theory on stress, appraisal, and coping. The results also highlight the need to train and impart children with learned resourcefulness in order to increase their self-control skills and improve their coping with and adjustment to siblings' serious illness.