Abstract
The diagnosis of paediatric cancer is a source of intense stress for both the child and all family members. The plans of the whole family are suddenly ruined. Now, new plans and challenges await the family. Familial adaptation problems, financial difficulties, increasing needs for care, change of social relations and long-term hospitalizations are some of the problem areas that families face. Families resort to some coping approaches when trying to adapt to these stressful problems. When examining these coping attitudes, it has been determined that there is no study on the position of religion in our country.
In this context, the main purpose of this study is to determine the meaning that the parents of children diagnosed with leukaemia attribute to leukaemia, the problems they experience, the religious coping activities they use while dealing with problems and the points that can be considered in the psychological support services to be provided.
Interview technique, which is one of the qualitative methods, was used in order to determine the experiences of the parents of children with leukaemia in remission. Among the interview techniques, semi-structured interviews were used. Before creating semi-structured interview questions, studies conducted with parents of children with leukaemia were examined. Care was taken to ensure that the questions prepared were open-ended, non-leading and plain.
Purposive sampling method was preferred to determine the research group. Among purposive sampling methods, the snowball technique was utilized. Criterion sampling was also used because the children diagnosed with leukaemia were required to have been in remission for at least two years.
First of all, a family that was experiencing this process was reached in the environment. Then, through guidance, communication with other parents was ensured. Each participant was first interviewed on the phone and informed about the research. Then, interviews lasting an average of 45 minutes were conducted with parents who stated that they would volunteer.
It was observed that parents experienced quite complex processes when they learned about the diagnosis of leukaemia. In particular, intense sadness, shock, denial, anger and despair manifest in this period.
It was determined that, after learning about the diagnosis, parents attempted to find explanations for why their children had leukaemia. These self-made explanations by the parents were observed to be closely related to their attitude towards their child, the disease history of the child and the family, and the developmental characteristics and living conditions of the child. An important point that draws attention in the statements of the parents is the attitude of blaming themselves or their spouse.
It was found that the parents did not explain the leukaemia in the child solely based on their life experiences but that they also attributed a spiritual meaning to it. The meaning attributed by the participants to this disease was mainly an Islamic reference. The concepts of trial, warning, punishment, destiny, duty and trust came to the fore.
It was observed that the parents participating in the study suffered many difficulties beginning from the first symptoms of leukaemia. With the initiation of treatment, parents are faced with an unfamiliar terminology and various needs. In addition, they experience difficulties such as financial problems, difficulties in social relations, family incompatibilities, distancing and labelling.
It was determined that parents used their individual and environmental resources to cope with all these difficulties. They turn to their personal resources such as daily relaxing activities, religious activities and motivation by the presence of the child, and they are also fed by external resources such as close relatives, healthcare teams and social aid organizations.
Turning to religious practices was important for parents in the process of coping with difficulties. It was found that, among religious coping activities, parents mostly used prayer. In addition to prayer, religious services like reading the Qur’an, performing salaat, and visiting mosques and tombs were supportive for them.
Consequently, it was determined that religion played an important role for the participants both in making sense of the leukaemia disease and in dealing with the difficulties brought by the treatment process. It is important to consider religious and spiritual elements in support activities to be offered to families from the first day of diagnosis.