Emotional Communication in Advanced Pediatric Cancer Conversations.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Cancer is a life-changing diagnosis accompanied by significant emotional distress, especially for children with advanced disease. However, the content and processes of discussing emotion in advanced pediatric cancer remain unknown.

Objectives

To describe the initiation, response, and content of emotional communication in advanced pediatric cancer.

Methods

We audiorecorded 35 outpatient consultations between oncologists and families of children whose cancer recently progressed. We coded conversations based on Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences.

Results

About 91% of conversations contained emotional cues, and 40% contained explicit emotional concerns. Parents and clinicians equally initiated cues (parents: 48%, 183 of 385; clinicians: 49%) a

SUBMITTER: Sisk BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7096262 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature