Chapter 2 reviews research in key areas that are resilience factors for
facilitating child coping with a chronic illness. For instance, positive social functioning
is a component of successful adjustment that has a positive impact on developmental
outcome. Enhancing the child’s strengths and improving peer and family support are
strategies for improving child functioning and resilience. Research on the effectiveness
of support groups is presented and online support interventions are a method for
reaching children who do not have access to support groups in their area. Helping
children cope with grief and adjust to loss – associated with their chronic illness – is an
area where mental health providers should develop skills, if they are interested in
working with children who have chronic illnesses. Learning about interventions for
improving emotional and behavioral functioning, especially coping with anxiety and
depression in children, are other areas for skill-building.
Keywords: Child coping, chronic illness, emotional functioning, facilitating
resilience, grief, peer support, social functioning, support groups.
