Parent-child collaborative decision making for the management of chronic illness: a qualitative analysis.

Parent-child collaborative decision making (CDM) is a potentially important precursor to full decision-making independence and may be particularly significant for the management of childhood chronic illnesses. The primary aim of this qualitative study was to explore the concept of CDM from the perspective of children and parents. Children (ages 8-19 years) with asthma, type 1 diabetes, or cystic fibrosis and parents of children with these illnesses participated in focus groups and individual interviews. Participants described various ways they collaborate with one another (e.g., asking for the other's opinion; providing information). Participants viewed collaboration as beneficial, regardless of who ultimately makes the decision. Several factors emerged as potential predictors of CDM, including parent/family factors (e.g., parental time; parent-child conflict), child factors (e.g., maturity; emotional/behavioral functioning), and decision/situation factors (e.g., seriousness of the decision; extent to which the child is experiencing symptoms). These data suggest ways to enhance collaborative decision-making interactions between children with a chronic illness and their parents, as well as several areas for future quantitative research.