title: Parental spirituality in life-threatening pediatric cancer.
abstract: This study addressed parental spirituality in the context of pediatric cancer with a poor prognosis. Drawing upon previous research implementing a longitudinal grounded theory design examining parental hope, 35 parents were interviewed regarding their experiences with an emergent description of the role of spirituality in parents' daily lives. Spirituality included religious beliefs and practices, notions of a higher force or cosmos, relationship with a divine being, as well as elements emerging from meaning-making and relationships. Parental expectations of spirituality remained relatively constant across data collection time points (3-9 months postdiagnosis), although limited variation occurred relative to shifting circumstance (e.g., deterioration of the child's condition). Spirituality appeared to offer: greater acceptance of parents' inability to protect their child from harm related to her/his life-threatening illness, guidance and emotion decompression, and support from one's faith community. Recommendations for integrating spiritual assessment in clinical care practice are offered.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary , Edmonton , AB , Canada.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Nicholas
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology and Division of Hematology/Oncology , The Hospital for Sick Children , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Maru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.affiliation: c Department of Public Health , Ben-Guiron University of the Negev , Be'ersheva , Israel.
authors.forename: Leeat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Granek
authors.affiliation: d Department of Supportive Care, Psychosocial Oncology , Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Norma Mammone
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.affiliation: e Department of Supportive Care , Princess Margaret Cancer Centre , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shaheed
authors.affiliation: f Paediatric Medicine , The Hospital for Sick Children , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beaune
authors.affiliation: g Division of Hematology/Oncology , The Hospital for Sick Children , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bouffet
authors.affiliation: h Department of Social Work , The Hospital for Sick Children , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Beverley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Antle
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011379:Prognosis; D036301:Qualitative Research; D029181:Spirituality; D013727:Terminal Care
keywords: cancer; end of life; meaning making; pediatric cancer; spirituality