title: African American parents' experiences navigating breast cancer while caring for their children.
abstract: African American parents who are navigating breast cancer while parenting their school-age children are an understudied population. We used family systems and sociocultural theories to conduct three focus groups with a total sample of 9 African American parents to understand how they cared for their school-age children (ages 11 to 18) while coping with the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Our content analysis of these focus groups yielded themes that described a variety of ways they protected their children from the emotional consequences of breast cancer. Seven primary themes emerged: (a) increased desire to protect their children, (b) parental concerns for children's coping, (c) openness and transparency with children, (d) reliance on children for support, (e) calibration of their own responses, (f) use of the illness experience as a teachable moment for children, and (g) reliance on others for parenting support. Clinicians and researchers can improve their care by developing culturally sensitive family intervention programs that promote family resilience.
authors: Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions, Department of Couple and Family Therapy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, USA. mpd29@drexel.edu
authors: Maureen P
authors: MP
authors: Davey
authors: Alba
authors: A
authors: Niño
authors: Karni
authors: K
authors: Kissil
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Ingram
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult