Regret and unfinished business in parents bereaved by cancer: A mixed methods study Journal Article
| Authors: | Lichtenthal, W. G.; Roberts, K. E.; Catarozoli, C.; Schofield, E.; Holland, J. M.; Fogarty, J. J.; Coats, T. C.; Barakat, L. P.; Baker, J. N.; Brinkman, T. M.; Neimeyer, R. A.; Prigerson, H. G.; Zaider, T.; Breitbart, W.; Wiener, L. |
| Article Title: | Regret and unfinished business in parents bereaved by cancer: A mixed methods study |
| Abstract: | Background: Prior research has demonstrated that the presence of regret and unfinished business is associated with poorer adjustment in bereavement. Though there is a growing literature on these constructs among caregivers of adult patients, the literature on regret and unfinished business in bereaved parents has been limited. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine regret and unfinished business in parents bereaved by cancer, as well as their associations with caregiving experiences and prolonged grief. Design: This was a cross-sectional mixed methods study that utilized self-report questionnaires with open-ended items. Setting/Participants: The multisite study took place at a tertiary cancer hospital and pediatric cancer clinical research institution. Participants were 118 parents (mothers = 82, fathers = 36) who lost a child aged 6 months to 25 years to cancer between 6 months and 6 years prior. Results: Results showed that 73% of the parents endorsed regret and 33% endorsed unfinished business, both of which were more common among mothers than fathers (p ⩽ 0.05). Parents were on average moderately distressed by their regrets and unfinished business, and both regret-related and unfinished business–related distress were associated with distress while caregiving and prolonged grief symptoms. Conclusion: Findings have implications for how providers work with families, including increasing treatment decision-making support, supporting parents in speaking to their child about illness, and, in bereavement, validating choices made. Grief interventions that use cognitive-behavioral and meaning-centered approaches may be particularly beneficial. © The Author(s) 2020. |
| Keywords: | adolescent; adult; child; neoplasm; disease association; palliative therapy; pediatric; questionnaire; cancer center; depression; bereavement; distress syndrome; cross-sectional study; anxiety; decision making; wellbeing; grief; mental health service; caregivers; decision-making; prolonged grief; regret; human; male; female; article; bereavement support; care behavior; symptom distress scale; emotion assessment; family appraisal of caregiving questionnaire for palliative care |
| Journal Title: | Palliative Medicine |
| Volume: | 34 |
| Issue: | 3 |
| ISSN: | 0269-2163 |
| Publisher: | Sage Publications |
| Date Published: | 2020-03-01 |
| Start Page: | 367 |
| End Page: | 377 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1177/0269216319900301 |
| PUBMED: | 32020837 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PMCID: | PMC7438163 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Article -- Export Date: 1 April 2020 -- Source: Scopus |
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