• Priyadharshni Rajendran, Gabija Jarasiunaite-Fedosejeva, Gözde Gökçe İsbir, and Shefaly Shorey.
• Alice Lee Center for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
• Palliat Med. 2024 Jan 1; 38 (1): 254125-41.

BackgroundSiblings of children requiring palliative care are often forgotten and overlooked, as the focus tends to be on the ill child and their parents. Limited knowledge of non-bereaved siblings' perspectives makes it challenging to provide appropriate support for them. A review of existing literature is thus needed to better understand the experiences of these siblings and to identify research gaps that may require further examination.AimTo consolidate the available qualitative evidence on the perspectives of non-bereaved healthy siblings regarding paediatric palliative care.DesignA qualitative systematic review using a meta-synthesis approach was conducted.Data SourcesSix electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global) were searched from each database's inception date until October 2022. The search included qualitative and mixed-method studies that reported the perceptions and associations of siblings of patients receiving paediatric palliative care. Data were synthesised using thematic analysis.ResultsEleven studies were included. The overarching theme of the review would be 'A walking shadow: Living in the darkness shaped by the dying sibling', and three key themes and nine subthemes were identified from the included articles: (1) Changing family dynamics; (2) Impact on school and socialisation and (3) Psychological impact and coping.ConclusionSiblings demonstrated negative psychological impacts and were affected by changing family structure and relationships. However, socialisation with society, and varied coping skills such as cognitive coping and using distraction techniques, were significant for siblings to go through this journey and even led to some positive outcomes for them.

12 keywords...

hide…