I created this to ultimately present to my Child Life department at the hospital I work at in order to raise awareness of the importance of peer support to the sick and hospitalized adolescent. Perhaps there will be further development of this type of program where I work. Hope you enjoy!

1. Resilience Promotion
Using Peer Support
in the Hospital Setting
Stephanie Clifford, MSN, ARNP, CPNP-PC
November 22, 2010

2. Adolescents
Desire to be part of a
peer group
Desire to be normal
Desire to fit in
Desire acceptance of
their condition

3. Illness During Adolescence
• Significant impact on psychosocial and
social development
• Greater demand for closer social
relations
• Interferes with development and
maintenance of peer relationships

4. Many Feel Trapped

5. Resilience Theory
• Focuses on strengths rather than deficits
• Resilience is a process:
– Overcoming the negative effects of risk
exposure
– Coping successfully with traumatic
experiences
– Avoiding negative trajectories associated
with risk
• Requires the presence of promotive
factors

6. The Solution
Use peer relationships as promotive
factors to encourage resilience during a
very difficult time

7. WHY?
• Peers provide:
– Empathy
– Support
– Promote/model positive behavior
– Increased psychological well-being
– Increased feelings of self worth & esteem
-Family members cannot always provide this-

8. We need to help…

9. Implementation
Peer support program within the hospital
• Meetings with peers in a group setting
• Meetings with peers on an individual
basis
• Consists of volunteers and past and
present patients

10. Pros
• Learn new coping techniques
• Learn how to influence social
environments
• Enlarge perspectives of “normal”
• Understand causes of personal stressors
• Confirm positive changes in attitudes

11. Pros
• Reduce sense of isolation
• Enhance social identity
• Extend help to others

12. Cons
• Witness to a peer’s deterioration in
health
• Discovering new and unpleasant
information about one’s illness
• Negative self appraisals while another
peer is improving
• Feelings of inadequacy

13. Cons
• Decreased self esteem
• Failure to develop other interests
• Feelings of separation from “normal”
society

14. Goal
• Provide sick, hospitalized adolescents
with peer support to overcome a major
life stressor/transition

15. References
Fergus, S., & Zimmerman, M. A. (2005). Adolescent resilience: A
framework for understanding healthy development in the face of risk.
Annual Review of Public Health, 26, (1), 399-419. doi:
10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144357.
Olsson, C. A., Boyce, M. F., Toumbourou, J. W., & Sawyer, S. M. (2005).
The role of peer support in facilitating psychosocial adjustment to
chronic illness. Clinical Child Psychoilogy and Psychiatry, 10, (78).
Hagan, J. F., Shaw, J. S., Duncan, P. M., eds. (2008). Bright Futures:
Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and
Adolescents, 3rd
ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of
Pediatrics
Buote, V. M., Pancer, S. M., Pratt, M. W., Adams, G., Birnie-Lefcovitch, S.,
Polivy, J., & Wintre, M. G., (2007). The importance of friends:
Friendship and adjustmnet among first year university students. Jounral
of Adolescent Research, 22, (6).