Emotional State and Coping Strategies of Adolescents with Oncohematological Diseases

The article presents data on the study of emotional state characteristics and coping strategies of adolescents in the stressful situation of oncohematological diseases treatment. Two equalized by socio-demographic and clinical parameters groups of patients 11-18 were examined. The experimental group consisted of 28 adolescents undergoing treatment with hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) (M = 14.25, SD = 2.20, M: 57.1%, F: 42.9%). The control group consisted of 30 adolescents undergoing chemotherapy (M = 13.71, SD = 2.12, M: 53.3%, F: 46.7%). The psychological state of adolescents in the course of treatment by НSCТ, in comparison with the state of adolescents of the control group, which is characterized by a significantly higher level of distress and anxiety. Significant differences in the use of coping strategies with stress in patients of the two groups were obtained. Adolescents of the experimental group use a less extensive repertoire of productive coping strategies, often use such an ineffective strategy as "discharge" These differences may be associated with less availability, as well as an increase in depletion of various coping resources under special treatment conditions by the НSCТ. The results of the study confirmed that НSCТ is objectively and subjectively more stressful, which indicates the need for additional monitoring of both the psychological state and the need for psychological care for patients in this group, the development of specialized programs for psychological support for transplantation.