Mothers in the experimental (COPE)
group received a 3-phase educational-behavioral intervention
program 1) 6 to 16 hours after PICU admission, 2)
2 to 16 hours after transfer to the general pediatric unit,
and 3) 2 to 3 days after their children were discharged
from the hospital. Control mothers received a structurally
equivalent control program. The COPE intervention was
based on self-regulation theory, control theory, and the
emotional contagion hypothesis. The COPE program,
which was delivered with audiotapes and matching written
information, as well as a parent-child activity workbook
that facilitated implementing the audiotaped information,
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. The COPE workbook,
which was provided to parents and children after
transfer from the PICU to the general pediatric unit,
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.