Dyadic Coping Dynamics of Parental Couples with Children Diagnosed with Leukemia
A Phenomenological Study within Walsh’s Family Resilience Framework
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21009/ishel.v2i1.70856Keywords:
dyadic coping, childhood leukemia, family resilience, social and economic resources, phenomenologicalAbstract
This study aims to explore how parental couples engage in dyadic coping during their child's leukemia treatment, and how this process enables them to access and utilize social and economic resources within Walsh's Family Resilience Framework (2016). A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed, using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021). The participants were a couple whose child was undergoing leukemia treatment. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. The analysis yielded seven themes: (1) emotional responses and the couple's process of acceptance; (2) adaptive role reorganization within the couple; (3) stress communication patterns in the couple's relationship; (4) couple collaboration in maintaining the child's treatment adherence; (5) dyadic coping as a mechanism for accessing external resources; (6) economic pressure management: adaptive strategies of the couple; and (7) shared meaning construction as the foundation of couple resilience. Further research with a larger and more socioeconomically diverse sample is needed to strengthen these findings. Based on these results, this study recommends: (1) psychological services in pediatric oncology hospitals should adopt couple-based intervention approaches; (2) health professionals and counselors should assist couples in developing more effective and mutually validating stress communication; and (3) support programs should proactively connect families with relevant social support networks and foundations from the early stages of treatment.
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