The Relationship between Patient and Parent Posttraumatic Stress in Pediatric Oncology: A Theoretical Framework

Abstract

The stress and uncertainty surrounding pediatric cancer diagnosis and treatment can be experienced as traumatic by both patients and their parents (e.g., Landolt, Vollrath, Ribi, Gnehm, & Sennhauser, 2003). Although previous studies have demonstrated an association between patient and parental posttraumatic stress in pediatric cancer (e.g., Pelcovitz et al., 1998), a theory-driven model explaining a mutual and ongoing relationship does not appear in the literature. In the current article, we present a theoretical model to explain this relationship and provide an illustrative example of our model. Future directions and clinical implications of the model are also discussed.