Family coping in caring for children with Down syndrome: a scoping review

Objective: to map the coping strategies that contribute to family care for children with Down syndrome. Meth-ods: scoping review, using the JBI method. Six electronic databases and a virtual library were consulted with the support of the Rayyan platform. The criteria for eligibili-ty were studies available and published in full, which ad-dressed coping strategies in family care for children with Down syndrome. Data analysis was of the narrative type. Results: 381 records were retrieved and 14 remained in this review. Six coping styles were identified: managing emotions, decision-making, acquiring knowledge about Down's syndrome and situations involving it, seeking support, communicating within the family and with professionals, and practicing spirituality. Conclusion: in order to balance the demands presented by the chil-dren and the resources available, family members need to adopt cognitive and behavioral strategies to deal with the adversities of caring for a child with Down syndrome. Contributions to practice: the study presents evidence to guide nurses and other health professionals to help families use different ways of coping with the stressful events they experience.