Coping strategies in families who lost a child to cancer: A scoping review

Context: Understanding coping mechanisms adopted by families after the traumatic experience of losing a child 
to cancer may support health care teams in developing more comprehensive bereavement care.
Objective: To synthesise qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies focusing on the coping strategies 
families adopt after losing a child to cancer.

Methods: Five databases were systematically searched (Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus). 
Included studies were published in peer-reviewed journals, used empirical research methods, and focused on the 
coping strategies of families who lost a child to cancer. Content analysis was used to synthesise the results.

Results: From 173 full papers, 34 papers were included in the review. Five overarching coping strategies were 
identified: continuing bonds; meaning-making; emotional expressions; distraction and refocusing; and taking 
care of others. Continuing bonds and meaning-making were the most frequently reported ones. Mothers, fathers, 
and siblings use different strategies to cope and their use varies over time as grief is an ongoing process without 
closure. We found no paper that addressed coping strategies of grandparents or other family members.

Conclusion: Families should be reassured that there is no ideal coping style, and that each grief journey is unique 
both in expression and duration. Healthcare providers should be mindful of the internal and external factors, 
such as gender, developmental stage, or relationship with the deceased child, that might influence coping. 
Awareness of different coping strategies might help to improve bereavement care and communication with 
bereaved family members.