Conditions associated with hospitalization and treatment of children with cancer have been identified as sources of stress, thus the relevance of studying the coping strategies spontaneously used by these children. The present study aimed to compare two methods for evaluating coping in the context of pediatric hospitalization. A total of 19 children (aged 6 to 12) with cancer, attending a Portuguese hospital, answered the Kidcope and the Instrument for the Assessment of Coping Strategies during Hospitalization. Their caregivers evaluated how the children adapted to the hospital. Low levels of distress were observed in the evaluations of both caregivers and children. The sample showed various coping strategies and a number of facilitative behaviors in both scales, including social support and entertainment, but also wishful thinking and rumination. Both scales had similar responses in terms of social support and entertainment, but not for other strategies. Although the two scales were not found to be equivalents, both proved to be useful for clinical purposes.
Child; Coping behaviors; Neoplasms; Hospitalized pacients
