Date of Award

Summer 8-23-2025

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Kelly Elliott

Second Advisor

Carrie Landin

Third Advisor

Crystal Joy

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords

Healthy siblings, Pediatric oncology, Family systems, Relational interventions, Caregiver- sibling relationship

Abstract

Healthy siblings of children diagnosed with cancer occupy a uniquely vulnerable position within the pediatric oncology landscape. Individuals within this population often demonstrate significant emotional distress and can experience long-term psychological challenges. Despite their risk, healthy siblings remain under-researched and under-supported compared to pediatric patients and caregivers. Existing interventions tend to prioritize individual coping skills and psychoeducation and often overlook the critical relational dynamics that shape healthy siblings' psychological adjustment. Grounded in systematic and relational theories, this paper proposes a paradigm shift toward relationally focused interventions that strengthen the caregiver-sibling bond as a core mechanism of change to foster resilience and improved psychological outcomes for healthy siblings. The paper calls to attention the need for qualitative research to explore the lived experiences, relational needs, and gaps in current support systems for healthy siblings and caregivers. Insights from this study will inform the development of a culturally responsive, family-centered intervention designed to enhance emotional connection, attunement, and communication within the caregiver-sibling dyad. By centering relational processes, this work seeks to promote sustainable mental health outcomes for healthy siblings and advance holistic models of psychosocial care in pediatric oncology.

Copyright Date

6-23-2025

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Kristen K. Wederski

Provenance

Received from author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

48 pgs

File Size

515 KB

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