Development of a guide for how parents with cancer disclose their diagnosis in developmentally appropriate ways to their children

Parents who have been diagnosed with cancer must struggle with an additional concern: how to discuss their diagnosis with their children. Theories of cognitive development posit that as children develop chronologically there is a corresponding maturity in their cognitive abilities. Drawing directly on these theories of cognitive development, it is suggested that parents must factor in their child's level of cognitive maturity when considering the conversation about having cancer. It seems obvious that because children in various stages of cognitive development think differently, they will understand their parent's experience of cancer differently depending on their age and level of cognitive maturity. With this in mind, this qualitative phenomenological study interviewed parents diagnosed with cancer to specifically assess their experiences of disclosure of their illness to their children. Data analysis yielded minor and major themes of parents experiencing a need to disclose their diagnosis to their children; parents wanting to be honest about their treatment; their child's varying reactions to disclosure; the parents' use of resources to facilitate communication about their disease and treatment; and parents' feelings of regret. These themes informed the development of a guide to help parents disclose a diagnosis of cancer in developmentally appropriate ways to their children in addition to providing other appropriate resources for support.