Children, coping, and the stress of illness: a synthesis of the research.
OBJECTIVE
To synthesize and critique the current research on coping strategies used by children who are ill, to identify gaps in the research base, and to provide direction for practice, future research, and theory development.


METHODS
32 research articles on coping strategies used by children with chronic or acute illness.


CONCLUSIONS
Children's repertoire of coping strategies is the same during health and illness, although the frequency or effectiveness of some of the strategies is often different.


CONCLUSIONS
Much more in-depth descriptive and longitudinal research is needed, particularly how, when, and why coping strategies are learned, retained, and later discarded. Research is needed to examine the relationship between coping and health outcomes, and on the effectiveness of nursing interventions designed to influence children's coping behavior.
Ryan-Wenger
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Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, USA. Ryan-Wenger.10@osu.edu
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D004194:Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012944:Social Support