ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews key theoretical perspectives on treatment decision making, examines situation and relational influences on the treatment decision-making process, reviews models of patient and family participation in treatment decision making, and proposes a typology for understanding the different ways in which families negotiate treatment decisions. The typology suggests new insights for theorizing decision-making processes related to cancer treatment and offers strategies for integrating the typology into clinical practice in order to improve medical and psychosocial outcomes for patients and their families.
