Posttraumatic growth in parents caring for a child with a life-limiting illness: A structural equation model.
When parents first meet their child, they take on the entwined joys and burdens of caring for another person. Providing care for their child becomes the basic expectation, during health and illness, through the developmental milestones, into adulthood and beyond. For those parents who have a child who is born with or is later diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, parents also become caregivers in ways that parents of predominantly well children do not. While the circumstances are undisputedly stressful, for some parents benefits can co-occur along with the negative outcomes. This article tests two structural equation models of possible factors that allow these parent caregivers to experience growth in the circumstances. The diagnosis and illness of a child in the context of pediatric palliative care is a very complex experience for parents. The stresses are numerous and life-changing and yet the parents in this research demonstrated growth as measured by the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory. It appears that particular personal resources reflected in personal well-being are a precursor to the process of positive meaning making, which then, in turn, contributes to growth. The path to posttraumatic growth is not a simple one, but this research contributes to further elucidating it.
School of Social Work, Renison University College, University of Waterloo.
Susan
S
Cadell
School of Business, Nipissing University.
David
D
Hemsworth
School of Social Work, Renison University College, University of Waterloo.
Trudy
T
Smit Quosai
School of Nursing, York University.
Rose
R
Steele
School of Nursing, University of Victoria.
Elizabeth
E
Davies
McGill University, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal Children's Hospital.
Stephen
S
Liben
Department of Cardiology, University of British Columbia.
Lynn
L
Straatman
Department of Cardiology, University of British Columbia.
Harold
H
Siden
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult