Saturday, April 2, 2005
Hall of Mirrors (Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza)
Session: 1219, Poster Session I, 11:00 AM

Coping Support for Siblings of Dying Children

Lou Ann Montgomery, PhD, RN, CCRN, CCNS, Associate Director1, Martha Craft-Rosenberg, PhD, RN, Professor2, Shelly Eisbach, BSN, RN, Graduate Research Assistant2, Daniel Clay, PhD, Associate Professor3, Jennifer Hoyle, BA, Graduate Research Assistant3, and Jennifer MacConnell, MA, Graduate Research Assistant3. (1) Nursing Department, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 15 Turner Circle, North Liberty, IA 52317, (2) College of Nursing, University of Iowa, 50 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242, (3) Psychological and Quantitative Foundations, University of Iowa, 361 Lindquist Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52240

The death of a child forever alters the lives of family, including the child’s healthy siblings (HS) (IOM, 2002). Families experiencing the death of a child are faced with the most stressful situation in life, yet healthy siblings are often the most neglected family members (Davies, 1995). HS of dying children need assistance with coping, expressing feelings, and comfort measures during periods of sadness and fear (Chesler & Barbarin, 1987; Packman et al., 1997; Ross-Alaolmolki, 1995). Siblings who are comforted, taught, included, and validated feel they have learned from this experience and are better prepared to deal with death. Siblings who are disreguarded, left out, and shamed feel as if nothing good came from their experience (Sahler & Carpenter, 1989; Coleman & Coleman, 1984; Davies, 1995, 2002). While guidance is available to parents and professionals, evidence-based interventions are not reported for the HS of children who are dying.

Our research team is developing and piloting a theory-based intervention for families. The treatment package is based on a) theories of Selye (1956, 1983), Lazarus and Folkman (1984); b) cognitive behavioral therapy techniques (Barrett & Ollendick, 2004); and c) preliminary studies of Craft et al. (1990, 2001), Montgomery (2000), Kleiber, Montgomery, & Craft-Rosenberg (1995), and Clay et al (2000).

The Coping Support for Siblings of Dying Children (CSSDC) intervention assists healthy siblings through: a) psychoeducational materials and explanations to facilitate HS and parental coping; b) additional materials for HS understanding of death, mourning, stress, and spirituality. The intervention materials are portable and will be available through workbook, video, CD-Rom, and internet formats.

This poster will present a synthesis of the literature on HS of dying children. Our CSSDC Intervention will be presented with preliminary data from interviews with families experiencing the death of a child. Directions for further research will be discussed.

Session #1219 - Poster Session I

The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)