Children and Families Living with Illness: Psychological, Spiritual, and Cultural Perspectives

Over the course of a lifetime, most people are confronted with their own illness or the illness of a loved one. How do children and their families cope with illness and disability? How do they understand and make meaning of their illness experiences? How do their spiritual and cultural beliefs impact their care and their views on healing? How do they manage the multi-layered medical delivery system? In this course, we will take an interdisciplinary approach to examining developmental, psychological, cultural and spiritual issues confronting children and families living with acute, chronic, and/or life-threatening illnesses. We will explore the psychological and spiritual interventions provided to children, their families, and their support communities. Writings, artwork and videotaped interviews of children, families, and healthcare professionals will be used to illustrate the varied experiences and perspectives on illness and healing.