Family environment, autonomy granting and peer management in adolescents with cancer and their healthy peers

This study investigated the influence of the family environment and specific parenting practices, such as autonomy granting and parental management of peers has on adolescent adjustment in healthy adolescents and adolescents with cancer. It was predicted that after controlling for family environment, autonomy granting would predict adolescent adjustment, over and above the effects of peer management practices, and that families with healthy adolescents and families with an adolescents with cancer would have differences on these variables. Part One involved interviews and focus groups with 19 professionals involved in cancer treatment. Findings revealed the importance of adolescent friendships as well as barriers to adolescents maintaining their social relationships including (1) boundaries set by the hospital; (2) relationships with parents; (3) characteristics associated with the adolescent; (4) disruptions to friendships; and (5) factors associated with school. Part Two involved a survey of 89 parents of healthy adolescents, with findings revealing that autonomy granting significantly predicted adolescent adjustment over and above family environment and peer management. Part Three involved a comparison of 16 parents of adolescents with cancer and 16 parents of healthy adolescents. Results indicated that adolescents with cancer present significantly more emotional and behavioural difficulties, but are generally more cooperative than healthy adolescents. Explanations for the findings are discussed and practical and theoretical implications and future directions are highlighted