Siblings of children with cancer - their experiences of participating in a person-centered support intervention combining education, learning and reflection: pre- and post-intervention interviews.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a person-centered intervention, directed to siblings with a brother or sister newly diagnosed with cancer that combines education, learning and reflection about cancer.

METHOD: Qualitative methods with pre- and post-intervention semi-structured interviews were conducted. Fourteen siblings aged 9-22 years participated. A qualitative content analysis was carried out.

RESULTS

The result comprises of five themes: 'grasping for knowledge about cancer, 'thinking for hours and having nightmares', 'experiencing physical pain', 'being emotional in several ways', 'waiting for a normal, good life despite the uncertain future". Pre-intervention; a low level of knowledge of cancer treatments and its side effects was revealed; siblings slept poorly, lay awake thinking and had nightmares about cancer; they felt pain in different parts of their body; they felt emotional and angry and were anxious as cancer is life-threatening; in the future the sick child will finished treatment and recovered. Post-intervention; siblings described having specific knowledge, felt more informed, and that it was easier to understand the sick child's situation; they slept better, but still had a lot on their minds regarding the sick child; most siblings said they no longer experienced pain, felt better and were happier but could still get sad; in the future the sick child would be healthy, not exactly as before, but almost.

CONCLUSION

Person-centered intervention helps siblings to be more knowledgeable about the sick child's cancer, leading to a more realistic view about treatments and consequences. Further studies of person-centered interventions for siblings are important.