Dominique Basque
Dominique’s (or Dom to most) dissertation examined the psychosocial impact of chronic physical illness (CPI) on youth and their siblings. Her work:
- Highlights both shared and unique psychosocial experiences among siblings of youth with CPI
- Demonstrates the chronic and persistent nature of mental health and quality-of-life challenges in these families
- Illuminates the mechanisms linking CPI to psychosocial outcomes
- Underscores the importance of integrated, family-centred approaches to care
Collectively, Dom’s findings offer a deeper understanding of how CPI affects family mental health and reinforces the need for holistic models of pediatric and sibling support.
Melissa Elgie
Melissa’s dissertation used data from the MY LIFE study to examine:
- Rates of psychopathology among children with CPI
- Long-term anxiety experienced by parents
- How parent anxiety shapes children’s mental health over time
- Whether family environment factors influence this parent–child relationship
Her research found that 64% of children with CPI experience psychopathology, and nearly 30% of parents report moderate to high anxiety that persists for years. She demonstrated that higher parent anxiety predicts greater child symptoms, and that this association depends in part on factors such as parenting stress and family functioning.
Taken together, Melissa’s findings highlight the need for:
- Integrated physical and mental healthcare in pediatrics
- Early and routine mental health surveillance for children with CPI
- Supports for parents, whose mental health plays a crucial role in child outcomes
- Family-centered approaches that strengthen both caregiver and child wellbeing
Congratulations, Melissa and Dom!
The ARCH Lab extends our warmest congratulations to both newly minted PhDs. Their thoughtful, rigorous work adds meaningful evidence to improve care for children with chronic physical illness and their families. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and excited to see the important contributions they will continue to make in the field.
Photos: Dominique Basque with Dr. Ferro (first photo) and Melissa Elgie (second) at their thesis defenses.
