The Impact of a Child's Chronic Illness on Hopeful Thinking in Children and Parents

Abstract

The current study investigated the impact of a child's congenital or acquired chronic illness on hope scores reported by children and parents (N= 132). Hope was conceptualised as a cognitive process comprised of a reciprocally derived sense of successful pathways (the ability to visualize goals) and agency (the determination to reach those goals) (Snyder et al., 1991). As expected, children with a chronic illness (congenital or acquired) and their parents reported lower scores than their equivalents without a chronic illness. Moreover, children's hope scores were higher when their illness was congenital, and parents' scores were higher when a child's illness was acquired. Children's hope scores were predicted by self–efficacy and interaction difficulties. Parents' hope scores were predicted by self–efficacy and depression. These results have practical implications for clinicians seeking to inspire hope when a child faces chronic illness, suggesting that hope–based interventions need to be tailored to suit the individual and onset of illness.