The COPE Program
The experimental program focused on increasing 1) parents’
knowledge and understanding of the range of behaviors and
emotions that young children typically display during and after
hospitalization and 2) direct parent participation in their children’s
emotional and physical care. Phase I of the intervention in
the PICU consisted of audiotaped information and matching written
information.
Phase II of the COPE intervention, a “booster” intervention that
occurred shortly after transfer from the PICU to the general pediatric
unit, consisted of 1) audiotaped and written information that
reinforced critical content of the initial audiotape and provided
additional information on children’s responses during and after
hospitalization, as well as providing mothers with additional suggestions
to enhance coping outcomes for their children, and 2) a
parent-child activity workbook. The workbook contained 3 activities
to be completed before discharge from the hospital, ie, 1)
puppet play to encourage expression of emotions in a nonthreatening
manner, 2) therapeutic medical play to assist children in
obtaining some sense of mastery and control over the hospital
experience, and 3) reading and discussing Jenny’s Wish, a story
about a young child who successfully copes with a stressful hospitalization.
Phase III of the COPE intervention program, the second booster
intervention, occurred 2 to 3 days after hospital discharge and
consisted of a telephone call, during which a 5-minute script that
reinforced the following was read: 1) young children’s typical
postdischarge emotions and behaviors and 2) parenting behaviors
that would continue to facilitate positive coping outcomes for the
children. Mothers were encouraged to continue to perform the
activities from the workbook they had received during hospitalization.
Immediately after the telephone intervention, the telephone
script was mailed to the mothers