Interpersonal distance and coping in children with HIV and cancer.
We compared interpersonal distance and coping among two groups of pre-school pediatric patients diagnosed with either HIV or cancer and a third group of healthy children. In comparison to the children with cancer, children with HIV indicated greater mother-child interpersonal distance--a finding that correlated with mothers' reports of social withdrawal. Other notable findings included increased father-child distance in the HIV population and mother-child discrepancies of perceived interpersonal distance. In addition, seven of the children with HIV indicated that the adults turn away--a finding that correlated with the children's knowledge of their illness. We also explored the possible role of protective communication in the pediatric HIV population.
Hardy
M S
MS
Department of Psychology, University of Miami, FL, USA.
Routh
D K
DK
Armstrong
F D
FD
Albrecht
J
J
Davis
J
J
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005431:Florida; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*