Communication Memory of Cancer Diagnosis Within the Pediatric Triangle

Communication Memory of Cancer Diagnosis Within Pediatric Triangle: a Cross-sectional Observational Study

Present project aims to investigate memories related to a cancer communication diagnosis in pediatric oncology. It evaluates possible common elements and specificity between family and healthcare staff.

Lots of scientific evidences have shown that autobiographical episodes' narrative has a beneficial effect on the elaboration of memories. Indeed, narrating is a way to order thoughts and moods, which are connected to particular episodes of one's life, in order to rework and relive them. Since the diagnosis, a relationship and an open and sincere dialogue between the various parts of the pediatric triangle can promote a process of adaptation to the experience of illness and an integrated biopsychosocial healing. The first aim of this study is to explore and analyze autobiographical memories of pediatric patients, parents and healthcare staff. Also, it aims to investigate possible common and discordant element between deposition.

Phases of the present study:

1. Sample recruitment and informed consent collection.
2. Diagnosis communication audio recording.
3. Communication of the autobiographical memory of the diagnosis audio recording of patients, parents, oncologist, nurse and psychologists involved, the day after the communication.
4. Questionnaire APAM administration for adult participants.
5. Audio Transcription and data coded. Data will be registered and operated by means of statistical software as SPSS (IBM) and T-Lab (Lancia, 2004).
6. Statistical processing: ANOVA and t of Student tests will be implemented in order to compare collected questionnaires. Narrative analysis will be implemented by means of textual analysis software.

Inclusion criteria for pediatric patients:

• age from 12 to 17 with cancer diagnosis only taken by Meyer Children's Hospital prior consent.
• Italian speaking

Exclusion criteria for pediatric patients:

• under 12 years old and above 17;
• followed by other hospital;
• cognitive disability

Inclusion criteria for parents:

- Italian speaking and signature informed consent.

Exclusion criteria for parents:

- cognitive disability