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Finelli, Manuel

Children living in families with cancer; the interplay between children's agency and family biographical disruptions

2019 - Franco Angeli

72-83 p.

  • This article discusses the findings of a research analysing the involvement of children and adolescents in caring for relatives suffering from cancer as it intersects with their agency. Interviews with a group of professionals from medical and social service providers, NGO directors, academic researchers and public health officials were used to conceptualise the effects occurring on children/adolescents when the family's biography is disrupted by oncological illnesses. The paper makes three main points. First, the recognition of a generalised tendency in marginalising children within the family relationship system whenever a relative within the household suffers from cancer. Second, the discussion of the children's involvement in the care practices as a resource for the family wellbeing, the effectiveness of the therapy and the children themselves.
  • Third, the analysis of their involvement in health care as it intersects with children's agency. In harmonising theories from sociology of health and childhood studies, the paper sustains the worthiness of re-thinking and re-defining the interplay between children's agency and family's biographical disruptions. The combination of alternative models from usually separated disciplines offers an epistemological contribution in researching on intergenerational relationships within sociology of health and illness frameworks. [Publisher's text].

Is part of

Salute e società : XVIII, 3, 2019