Pediatric Coping and Language Lab

Marital Communication in Families of Children with Cancer
Parents and families face a unique set of challenges when a child is diagnosed with cancer. In this study, we are interested in identifying coping strategies that parents use and how these coping strategies predict more supportive communication patterns between parents. We are also studying how stress levels, coping, and marital communication compare across English- and Spanish-speaking families. The goal of this study is to understand the factors that help families cope with the disease and its impact on marital and family relationships.

This study is conducted in collaboration with the Children’s Blood and Cancer Center at Dell Children’s Medical Center, and has been funded by a UT Faculty Research Grant.

Members of the PCL research team attending the St. Baldrick’s Fair at Dell Children’s Medical Center on April 15, 2017.