Coping styles in families with haemophilia

Abstract

This study explored the similarities and differences in the coping styles used by parents and children in families where there is a chronic illness, specifically the blood disorder haemophilia. The coping methods employed by each family member were determined by asking all subjects to complete a coping measure in relation to a problem they were currently experiencing. The two coping measures employed were The revised ways of coping checklist (Vitaliano et al., 1985) for the parents and the Kidcope (Spirito et al., 1988) for the children. Findings suggest that: most adults and children use all of the coping styles at least some of the time; there are no group gender differences in the coping styles used by parents; mothers and fathers in parental couples tend to use similar coping styles; children with and without a chronic illness show some differences in their coping styles, although there are also many similarities irrespective of illness status; there are important differences in the coping styles used by parents and children.