Caring for a Parent With a Blood Cancer: Sibling Communication Challenges and Psychosocial Outcomes

Abstract

This exploratory survey study used quantitative and qualitative analyses to (a) identify challenges communicating with siblings that adult child caregivers of a parent with a blood cancer encounter and (b) examine how these challenges are related to caregivers’ burden, social support, family openness, and clinical communication quality. A total of 95 caregivers with siblings participated in an online survey. We conducted a qualitative content analysis on an open-ended response to understand their challenges and statistical analyses on responses to validated scales to examine associations between the challenges and psychosocial/communication outcomes. Caregivers encountered nine challenges communicating with siblings (lack of agreement and competing obligations). Caregivers’ family openness, social support, and caregiver burden differed based on several challenges. The number of siblings was linked to poorer outcomes (burden). Adult child caregivers face sibling-related challenges, which may inhibit their communication and well-being.