Helping children cope with a mother's breast cancer diagnosis: ‘The telling box’ – A pilot study
Objective: Discussing cancer with children presents challenges. Evidence underscores the importance of transparent communication in aiding children's coping mechanisms amidst a parent's diagnosis. ‘The telling box’ intervention was developed to assist mothers in discussing cancer with thei...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | PEC Innovation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000992 |
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| author | Joyce M.J. de Vos-Houben Femke Bruls Christel Heiyerjans Rianne Roijen Trijntje Völlink Esther C. Bakker |
| author_facet | Joyce M.J. de Vos-Houben Femke Bruls Christel Heiyerjans Rianne Roijen Trijntje Völlink Esther C. Bakker |
| author_sort | Joyce M.J. de Vos-Houben |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Discussing cancer with children presents challenges. Evidence underscores the importance of transparent communication in aiding children's coping mechanisms amidst a parent's diagnosis. ‘The telling box’ intervention was developed to assist mothers in discussing cancer with their children. This study aimed to explore nurses' and mothers' perspectives on the ‘telling box’. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six oncology nurses and five mothers diagnosed with breast cancer to assess their experiences and opinions regarding ‘the telling box’. Results and conclusion: Both nurses and mothers emphasize the significance of open communication with children. Nurses identified ‘the telling box’ as a valuable resource for starting discussions about cancer with children, but lack of time and knowledge were factors preventing them from distributing the boxes. The current design of the box did not meet the mothers' needs, and the timing of its distribution was suboptimal. We recommend education of nurses on the use of ‘the telling box’ and customizing its content based on the child's age and treatment stage of the mother. Innovation: This study offers important insights from both patients and healthcare professionals. ‘The telling box’ was developed through collaborative efforts involving healthcare professionals and patients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b8925757a2fc4eda8575a9fe4f3d0f3f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2772-6282 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PEC Innovation |
| spelling | doaj-art-b8925757a2fc4eda8575a9fe4f3d0f3f2025-08-20T02:39:09ZengElsevierPEC Innovation2772-62822024-12-01510035110.1016/j.pecinn.2024.100351Helping children cope with a mother's breast cancer diagnosis: ‘The telling box’ – A pilot studyJoyce M.J. de Vos-Houben0Femke Bruls1Christel Heiyerjans2Rianne Roijen3Trijntje Völlink4Esther C. Bakker5Maastricht UMC+ Comprehensive Cancer Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.Maastricht UMC+ Comprehensive Cancer Center, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology, Open University, Heerlen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology, Open University, Heerlen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology, Open University, Heerlen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology, Open University, Heerlen, the NetherlandsObjective: Discussing cancer with children presents challenges. Evidence underscores the importance of transparent communication in aiding children's coping mechanisms amidst a parent's diagnosis. ‘The telling box’ intervention was developed to assist mothers in discussing cancer with their children. This study aimed to explore nurses' and mothers' perspectives on the ‘telling box’. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six oncology nurses and five mothers diagnosed with breast cancer to assess their experiences and opinions regarding ‘the telling box’. Results and conclusion: Both nurses and mothers emphasize the significance of open communication with children. Nurses identified ‘the telling box’ as a valuable resource for starting discussions about cancer with children, but lack of time and knowledge were factors preventing them from distributing the boxes. The current design of the box did not meet the mothers' needs, and the timing of its distribution was suboptimal. We recommend education of nurses on the use of ‘the telling box’ and customizing its content based on the child's age and treatment stage of the mother. Innovation: This study offers important insights from both patients and healthcare professionals. ‘The telling box’ was developed through collaborative efforts involving healthcare professionals and patients.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000992Breast cancerCommunication in cancerPsychosocial interventionOncology nursesQualitative researchChildren of a parent with cancer |
| spellingShingle | Joyce M.J. de Vos-Houben Femke Bruls Christel Heiyerjans Rianne Roijen Trijntje Völlink Esther C. Bakker Helping children cope with a mother's breast cancer diagnosis: ‘The telling box’ – A pilot study PEC Innovation Breast cancer Communication in cancer Psychosocial intervention Oncology nurses Qualitative research Children of a parent with cancer |
| title | Helping children cope with a mother's breast cancer diagnosis: ‘The telling box’ – A pilot study |
| title_full | Helping children cope with a mother's breast cancer diagnosis: ‘The telling box’ – A pilot study |
| title_fullStr | Helping children cope with a mother's breast cancer diagnosis: ‘The telling box’ – A pilot study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Helping children cope with a mother's breast cancer diagnosis: ‘The telling box’ – A pilot study |
| title_short | Helping children cope with a mother's breast cancer diagnosis: ‘The telling box’ – A pilot study |
| title_sort | helping children cope with a mother s breast cancer diagnosis the telling box a pilot study |
| topic | Breast cancer Communication in cancer Psychosocial intervention Oncology nurses Qualitative research Children of a parent with cancer |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628224000992 |
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