Family Systems Approach to Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation

This paper provides a brief overview of the bone marrow transplantation procedure and examines the potential family disruption that takes place when the family and patient come to the transplantation center for treatment A family stress model developed by McCubbin and Patterson is used to describe the family adjustment and adaptation that occurs during medical crisis The clinical implications of two internal strategies for defining the transplantation procedure are discussed in terms of their possible effects upon the family's attitude toward treatment and recovery.