Author: Mahwish Saeed
Supervisor: Dr. Rafia Rafique
Degree: MPhil
Year: (2009 – 2011)
University: Institute of Applied Psychology, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
The present research was conducted to investigate differences in acute stress, psychological wellbeing and coping strategies in the parents of children recently diagnosed with cancer. It was hypothesized that mothers of children diagnosed with cancer will experience more stress than the fathers. It was further hypothesized that psychological wellbeing will be different in fathers and mothers of children recently diagnosed with cancer. It was also hypothesized that coping strategies i.e. problem-focused and religious coping will be different in fathers and mothers of children diagnosed with cancer. Moreover, it was hypothesized that there is a relationship between stress, psychological wellbeing and coping strategies. Cross sectional research design was used to conduct the study. A sample of 60 parents (31 fathers and 29 mothers) was recruited from three hospitals located in Lahore city through purposive sampling. Demographic data sheet, Parental Stress Scale (Berry & Jones, 1995), Cope Inventory (Carber, Scheier & Weintraub, 1989) and Flourishing Scale (Diener & Diener, 2009) were used to measure stress, coping strategies and wellbeing respectively. Correlation and t-test statistics were used to analyze data. The findings suggested that mothers experience more stress than fathers of children recently diagnosed with cancer. No significant difference was found in psychological wellbeing and coping strategies of mothers and fathers of children recently diagnosed with cancer. The results also revealed showed a significant negative correlation between stress and psychological wellbeing of parents of children recently diagnosed with cancer.
Keywords:
acute stress, psychological wellbeing, coping strategies, parent of children with cancer.
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Corresponding Address: Department of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Email: chairperson@appsy.pu.edu.pk, Phone: 92-42-9231245
