[Effects of cancer in children on siblings and their siblingship].

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationships between children with cancer and their siblings. Eighteen children with cancer and twenty-two of their siblings completed the questionnaire which included the 22 items related to the siblingship. Eighteen mothers answered the semi-structure interview, which asked the mother's recognitions of their family life during staying in hospital, the siblingships between patients and siblings, and the effects of childhood cancer on siblings. To determine their siblingship, responses of patients and siblings were compared with the criterion data using means and standard deviations of each item. In addition each item of mothers' data was calculated percentages to determine the effects on siblingships. It was suggested that the siblingships between patients and their siblings were similar to siblingship between healthy children. However, both children with cancer and their siblings had more positive feelings and less negative feelings each other. On the other hand, it was suggested that the effects of changes of their family life due to staying in hospital on siblings were severe.