A Qualitative Study on the Negative Emotions of Mothers during Chemotherapy of Their Children with Malignant Brain Tumors

Abstract

Objective: To explore the negative emotions of mothers during chemotherapy of their children with malignant brain tumors. Methods: The phenomenological method for qualitative studies was adopted; convenience sampling was used to conduct semi-structured interviews to the mothers of 9 children with malignant brain tumors who received chemotherapy from June 2019 to December 2019; the Colaizzi 7-step analytical method was implemented to collate and analyze the original data. Results: The results were summarized into six subjects: stressed, exhausted because of trying to control everything in home care, prone to excessive care, financially burdened, desperate for knowledge of patient care, and desperate for psychosocial support. Conclusions: Understanding the real experiences and inner feelings of mothers during chemotherapy of their children with malignant brain tumors is helpful for medi cal staff to learn about the psychological distress and needs of mothers of children with malignant brain tumors, so as to give them psychological support and even social support, and help the mothers and the families of children with malignant brain tumors get through a special period.