<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_jmotherandchild.20212502.d-21-00010_s_013">
<h3>Background</h3>
<p>The representation of a child is an important element of mother-child relations, which allows the mother to empathise with and respond to the child’s needs. A child’s cancer may be reflected in the mother’s representation of the child. The aim of this study was to see whether there were differences in a mother’s representation of healthy and oncologically ill children.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_jmotherandchild.20212502.d-21-00010_s_014">
<h3>Material and methods</h3>
<p>The participants in the study include 30 mothers of oncologically ill children and 25 women with healthy children as the control group. The study used a self-constructed questionnaire containing questions about the mothers’ representations of their children as well as demographic information.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_jmotherandchild.20212502.d-21-00010_s_015">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Women with oncologically ill children less frequently described their children as independent, impulsive, needing food and the recognition of others, than mothers of healthy children. They also felt fear more frequently when thinking about the child.</p>
<p>There were, however, common elements in representations of ill and healthy children. Impulsiveness and interest in computer games and movies was more often attributed to boys than girls in both categories, while helpfulness was attributed more often to older children than younger ones. Single mothers felt regret more often when thinking about the child than mothers who had some helpers.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_jmotherandchild.20212502.d-21-00010_s_016">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Maternal representations of a child may include, but do not have to include, disease-related content. Perceptions of a child’s independence, impulsiveness, and needs seem to be related to the child’s health, but for other elements of the child’s image this relation is not present.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Background
The representation of a child is an important element of mother-child relations, which allows the mother to empathise with and respond to the child’s needs. A child’s cancer may be reflected in the mother’s representation of the child. The aim of this study was to see whether there were differences in a mother’s representation of healthy and oncologically ill children.


Material and methods
The participants in the study include 30 mothers of oncologically ill children and 25 women with healthy children as the control group. The study used a self-constructed questionnaire containing questions about the mothers’ representations of their children as well as demographic information.


Results
Women with oncologically ill children less frequently described their children as independent, impulsive, needing food and the recognition of others, than mothers of healthy children. They also felt fear more frequently when thinking about the child.
There were, however, common elements in representations of ill and healthy children. Impulsiveness and interest in computer games and movies was more often attributed to boys than girls in both categories, while helpfulness was attributed more often to older children than younger ones. Single mothers felt regret more often when thinking about the child than mothers who had some helpers.


Conclusion
Maternal representations of a child may include, but do not have to include, disease-related content. Perceptions of a child’s independence, impulsiveness, and needs seem to be related to the child’s health, but for other elements of the child’s image this relation is not present.

Maternal perception of a child with cancer

Journal of Mother and Child

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Maternal perception of a child with cancer"}

Background
The representation of a child is an important element of mother-child relations, which allows the mother to empathise with and respond to the...

Maternal perception of a child with cancer

Article Category: Original research

Published Online: Apr 01, 2022

Page range: 95 - 101

Received: Apr 07, 2021

Accepted: Jul 16, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34763/jmotherandchild.20212502.d-21-00010

Keywords
Representation, childhood cancer, mother-child relationship, cancerous disease

© 2021 Ida Opalińska, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Maternal perception of a child with cancer

Article Category: Original research

Published Online: Apr 01, 2022

Page range: 95 - 101

Received: Apr 07, 2021

Accepted: Jul 16, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34763/jmotherandchild.20212502.d-21-00010

KeywordsRepresentation, childhood cancer, mother-child relationship, cancerous disease

© 2021 Ida Opalińska, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Representation, childhood cancer, mother-child relationship, cancerous disease