Consciousness of dying and projective fantasy of young children with malignant disease.

Hypotheses regarding intrapsychic disruption, specific types of anxiety and fear, and defense structure in young children with potentially fatal illnesses were tested by administering two projective tests to 24 Irish children (ages 3-6) with malignancies and 24 matched controls with non-life-threatening orthopedic diseases. Responses of the children with malignancies showed more imagery related to, and descriptions of, negative futures, loneliness, bodily intrusion, and nonbeing. Possible explanations of these findings and their implications for the treatment of children with potentially fatal illnesses are discussed.