title: Single parents of children with chronic illness: an understudied phenomenon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the chronic illness literature and evaluate the impact on single parenting and children and adolescents with chronic illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted literature reviews of relevant research pertaining to single-parent families on PubMed, Medline, and PsychINFO and also surveyed pertinent book chapters and all of the articles from the Journal of Pediatric Psychology since 1987 for articles, specifically examining the potential associations of single (lone) parenting versus two-parent households on children's psychosocial functioning and the impact of the child's illness on caregiver functioning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While the literature has examined and discussed the stressors associated with parenting a child with an illness, including the impact of illness on finances, family roles, and caregiver burden, few studies have examined single parents of children and adolescents with chronic illnesses and related stressors stemming from being a lone caregiver.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a dearth of studies examining the association between lone parenting and psychosocial functioning among children and adolescents with chronic illnesses. Specific questions necessitating future investigation are summarized and recommendations are made for future research in this important area of inquiry.
authors: Temple University, College of Health 3307 North Broad Street, 300 Jones Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA. rtbrown@temple.edu
authors: Ronald T
authors: RT
authors: Brown
authors: Lori
authors: L
authors: Wiener
authors: Mary Jo
authors: MJ
authors: Kupst
authors: Tara
authors: T
authors: Brennan
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Behrman
authors: Bruce E
authors: BE
authors: Compas
authors: T
authors: T
authors: David Elkin
authors: Diane L
authors: DL
authors: Fairclough
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Friebert
authors: Ernest
authors: E
authors: Katz
authors: Anne E
authors: AE
authors: Kazak
authors: Avi
authors: A
authors: Madan-Swain
authors: Nancy
authors: N
authors: Mansfield
authors: Larry L
authors: LL
authors: Mullins
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Noll
authors: Andrea Farkas
authors: AF
authors: Patenaude
authors: Sean
authors: S
authors: Phipps
authors: O J
authors: OJ
authors: Sahler
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Sourkes
authors: Lonnie
authors: L
authors: Zeltzer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004467:Economics; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011584:Psychology; D015406:Single Parent / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data