Family influences on coping processes in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease

Abstract

Examined the contribution of parenting and family variables to the general coping processes of 39 children and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). In home interviews, parents reported on their child's health history, the coping suggestions they make to their children, their own coping strategies, and family cohesion. Children rated their general coping strategies and level of hope. Partial support was obtained for each of the three models of family influences tested in this study. After accounting for the effects of age, gender, family structure, and type of SCD, children's hope was positively associated with active coping suggestions by parents. Children's active coping was associated with a cohesive family environment, and avoidance coping was predicted by less parental use of restructuring coping, and greater parental use of active coping strategies. Taken together, this study provides evidence for the influence of parental coaching and modeling and the family environment on coping processes in children with SCD.