Examining the problem areas and experiences of adolescents who have siblings with cancer and parents of children with canser

This research aimed to examine the problem areas and experiences of adolescents who have a siblings with cancer and their parents. For this purpose, the sample of the study consists of a total of 18 people, including six healthy siblings between the ages of 14-18, who have a sibling with cancer, and their mothers and fathers, residing in a city in the Eastern Anatolia region. This research is based on the phenomenology approach, conducted in a qualitative research pattern. The study group was selected by snowball sampling method. A semi-structured interview form was used to collect data consisting of 15 open-ended questions, prepared separately for healthy siblings and parents. The interviews were held face to face. In this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with six healthy adolescent siblings and their parents and the data obtained were analyzed with the inductive method and content analysis approach. According to the results, seven themes were identified in the interviews with healthy siblings, namely daily life, relations with parents, feelings and experiences of healthy siblings, school and peers, coping with problems, positive results and expectations of healthy siblings. In the interviews with the parents, six themes were identified, namely, problem areas, feelings and experiences, unmet needs, coping with problems, healthy siblings, and changes in family relationships. The identified themes were discussed within the framework of the relevant literature.