Due to advances in medical treatments, students with terminal illnesses are more likely to attend public schools, increasing the possibility that they may die on school property. However, educational health plans often fail to consider end-of-life care decisions. In the absence of federal or state statutes, school boards are left to navigate the…

The arrival of summer signals a season of endless days of swimming, fishing, summer camps, and other outdoor activities. For children with chronic or terminal illnesses, it can be difficult to participate in many of these activities as well as challenging for parents to find summer camps that not only engage their children, but also offer the…

Purpose: We document the extent to which older adults accurately report their spouses' end-of-life treatment preferences, in the hypothetical scenarios of terminal illness with severe physical pain and terminal illness with severe cognitive impairment. We investigate the extent to which accurate reports, inaccurate reports (i.e., errors of…

Loneliness is a universal phenomenon, and its pain is intensified by a diagnosis of a terminal illness. The present study is an investigation of the strategies used by patients with Multiple sclerosis (MS), by individuals diagnosed with cancer, and by the general population to cope with loneliness. Three hundred and twenty nine MS patients, 315…

A review of studies on death awareness among children who are healthy, chronically ill, and terminally ill reveals that children with life-threatening diseases demonstrate increased understanding of death. In contrast, healthy and chronically ill children appear to require certain age, cognitive development level, or intelligence thresholds to…

Highlights dilemmas imposed by disclosure and nondisclosure of therapist's life-threatening illness to patients and colleagues. Reviews literature that illustrates spectrum of circumstances and opinions, contrasting survivable with more complex or likely nonsurvivable conditions. In case of therapist's life-threatening illness, calls consultation…

Reviews experimental and quasi-experimental studies of psychological interventions designed to help individuals diagnosed with cancer reduce emotional distress, enhance coping, and improve their adjustment to the illness. Treatment components and mechanisms are discussed. Future research directions and challenges to scientific advance are…

Describes four modes of positive survival with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and analyzes them as they appear in support groups for people with AIDS. Sees beneficent, artistic-spiritual, heroic, and rational-instrumental survival modes as compromise solutions to fears of life and death described by Rank. Calls analysis nonpejorative…

Discusses problems experienced by families who have child who is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive or who has Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), noting that child with HIV/AIDS in family usually means at least one parent also has HIV/AIDS. Urges professionals to think of family, rather than individual, and to plan services for…

This paper reviews research literature pertaining to the pain and anxiety associated with pediatric cancer and the use of hypnosis as an adjunct treatment. It is noted that pain and anxiety are most often associated with the procedural treatment of cancer, and that the literature suggests that both pain and anxiety are multi-faceted constructs.…

Examined coping and family adaptation in siblings (n=32) of cancer patients, their ill brothers and sisters (n=19), and control group of nonclinical children (n=10) with healthy siblings. Gender and age of sibling, birth order, and number of siblings were examined. Found better adaptation in larger families and decreased family involvement among…

College students (N=780) read 1 of 12 scenarios of person who decided to commit suicide. Scenarios varied by age of victim (45 versus 70), gender, and illness (chronic depression, chronic physical pain, terminal bone cancer). Suicide evaluations tended to be significantly more favorable when evaluators were male, victims were male, victims were…

Identifies several distinctive characteristics of bereavement in relation to human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Discusses multiple loss syndrome, truant grief, and chronic bereavement that are often experienced by persons living with AIDS and professionals working in HIV/AIDS field. Discusses need for new…

Defines amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as motor-neuron disease that is terminal. Discusses symptoms associated with ALS and identifies treatment options. Reviews psychological and behavioral adaptations in regard to ALS clients, their families, and professionals who work with them. Discusses support groups as method of reducing stress for ALS…

This document discusses the application of a systems approach for family counseling for African American families with a family member infected with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It begins by citing statistics that illustrate that there exists a disproportionate representation of cases of AIDS among African Americans. A discussion on…