Chronic Sorrow in Parents of Children with a Chronic Illness or Disability: An Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Problem This integrative review aims to synthesize the findings of studies on chronic sorrow in parents, to analyze the findings along three specific research questions, and to identify areas for future research. Eligibility Criteria Studies of parents, mothers and/or fathers of non-adult children published in peer-reviewed journals that answered the research questions: 1) How does the experience of chronic sorrow differ between mothers and fathers? 2) What factors have been identified to impact the experience of chronic sorrow over time? 3) What strategies by health care providers for helping parents cope with chronic sorrow have been identified to be most and least helpful? Sample Nineteen studies from a literature search within the databases of CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Psycarticles and SocIndex were included in the review. Results Findings suggest that mothers experience more intense chronic sorrow compared with fathers. Health care crises and developmental milestones are potent triggers for resurgence of chronic sorrow. Helpful strategies by healthcare providers include providing information, helping to procure respite and being empathetic and compassionate. Conclusions Healthcare providers need to understand that chronic sorrow is a normal consequence of having a child with a chronic illness or disability. Implications Family-centered interventions should be individualized and aimed at providing increased comfort to parents in times of need. Further research that looks at the effectiveness of interventions is needed.