FAMILY FUNCTIONING IN CHRONIC ILLNESS

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The current study is a longitudinal descriptive study of the impact of cancer on the family of a female parent with breast cancer. Its purpose is to document family functioning and health, family coping, social support and the impact of the mother's illness on the parent-child relationship. Approximately 40 families with a diagnosed mother with non-metastatic breast cancer will be followed for a period of 18 months. In addition, approximately 30 families with a diagnosed mother with benign breast disease and 30 families with a diagnosed chronically ill mother will serve as the two comparison groups. Using a combination of standardized instruments and semi-structured interviews, data will be obtained on family level functioning and health, the significance of cancer in the family's life, the family's means of coping with the disease's contingencies, the family's social support network, and the status of the parent-child relationship.