Table 2.

Overview of parental support needs, how the needs are categorized into themes and applied in the sessions of Op Koers Online for parents including group discussions and homework assignments

What do parents want?	How are the needs applied in Op Koers Online for parents?
Parental needs	Themea	Group discussionb	Homework assignments*
Guidance in accepting the diagnosis, coping with a different future perspective, adherence/non-adherence and puberty	The CI of the child (session 2: “The hospital”)	Accepting the diagnosis, how to support the child, successes and struggles in medical treatment of the child and how to handle difficult situations in the hospital	Reading a story about how to cope with the diagnosis & together with your child, make a list of situations for adherence/non-adherence and discuss how to reach adherence
The impact of a CI on family functioning, partner relationship and keeping balance in dividing attention between siblings	Relationships within the family (session 3: “The family”)	What is the impact of the CI on the child with CI, siblings, the relationship with your partner? What are successes and struggles in your family?	Talk with siblings about worries they have, make a list of things to do with siblings and your partner and have quality time with them each
Taking care of your own body and mind, paying attention to own emotions	Taking care of yourself besides caregiving tasks (session 3: “Taking care of yourself”)	What is the impact of the CI on your own life and emotional functioning? How do you take care of yourself?	Practice with the relaxation exercise, take time for yourself, give yourself a compliment daily
Communication with bosses/colleagues and teachers of the child about the impact of the disease, practical information about insurances etc	Relationships with others and practical support (session 4: “Extended family and friends”)	What kind of support would you like to receive/do you receive? What kind of reactions do you get and how does that feel? What works or could be better in the communication with work/school?	Together with your partner, write down difficult questions/reactions you get from others and think of possible ways to react on that

*Homework assignments should be completed every week before the start of the session (except for the first session)

^aAll themes are linked to a session, however, specific content is determined by parents in every session (what they want to discuss)

^bCBT techniques are used throughout the whole intervention