Anything but simple: the disclosure practices of children with cancer in residential camp and non-camp settings

ABSTRACT Self-disclosure is a psychosocial process in which individuals decide who, what, where, and how they tell others about their illness. This study utilized a qualitative secondary analysis to investigate whether and how children and youth disclose their illness to their peers. A thematic analysis was undertaken to analyze 21 interviews completed by children and youth who experienced cancer and were from two summer camps in Ontario, Canada. This resulted in four themes including talking about cancer, thinking about cancer, attitude toward illness, and social environments and relationships. The findings affirm that illness disclosure is complex and has several contributing factors.