REVIEW PAPER
The role of social support in posttraumatic growth in people struggling with cancer
Online publication date: 2014-02-04
Health Psychology Report 2013;1(1):1-8
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The experience of cancer, in addition to a number of adverse effects that manifest themselves in different spheres of functioning, may also serve human development. This was confirmed by recent studies on posttraumatic growth. This phenomenon requires the presence of positive changes in self-perception, interpersonal relationships, and philosophy of life, which appear as a result of attempts to cope with the aftermath of traumatic events.
Studies indicate that the incidence of positive changes as a result of the experience of cancer is quite high and occurs in 30-90% of patients. They relate mainly to the relationships with other people and an appreciation of life and are characteristic especially for the early stages of diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Among the factors determining posttraumatic growth, a key role is attributed to social support. This paper presents the role of social support in the process of developing positive changes after the trauma associated with the experience of cancer, including the types and sources of support.
Studies indicate that the incidence of positive changes as a result of the experience of cancer is quite high and occurs in 30-90% of patients. They relate mainly to the relationships with other people and an appreciation of life and are characteristic especially for the early stages of diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Among the factors determining posttraumatic growth, a key role is attributed to social support. This paper presents the role of social support in the process of developing positive changes after the trauma associated with the experience of cancer, including the types and sources of support.
REFERENCES (45)
1.
Barakat, L., Alderfer, M. & Kazak, A. (2006). Posttraumatic growth in adolescent survivors of cancer and their mothers and fathers. J Pediatr Psychol, 31, 413-419.
2.
Bussel, V. & Naus, M. (2010). A longitudinal investigation of coping and posttraumatic growth in breast cancer survivors. J Psychosoc Oncol, 28, 61-78.
3.
Butler, L.D., Koopman, C., Classen, C. & Spiegel, D. (1999). Traumatic stress, life events, and emotional support in women with metastatic breast cancer: cancer-related traumatic stress symptoms associated with past and current stressors. Health Psychol, 18, 555-560.
4.
Cadell, S., Regehr, C. & Hemsworth, D. (2003). Factors contributing to posttraumatic growth: a proposed structure equation model. Am J Orthopsychiatry, 73, 279-287.
5.
Cieslak, R., Benight, C., Schmidt, N., Luszczynska, A, Curtin, E., Clark, R. & Kissinger, P. (2009). Predicting posttraumatic growth among Hurricane Katrina survivors living with HIV: the role of self-efficacy, social support, and PTSD symptoms. Anxiety Stress Coping, 22, 449-463.
6.
Cordova, M.J., Cunnigham, L.L.C., Carlson, C.R. & Andrykowski, M.A. (2001). Posttraumatic growth following breast cancer: a controlled comparison study. Health Psychol, 20, 176-185.
7.
Cordova, M.J., Studs, J.L., Hann, D.M., Jacobsen, P.B. & Andrykowski, M.A. (2000). Symptom structure of PTSD following breast cancer. J Trauma Stress, 13, 301-309.
8.
Devine, K., Reed-Knight, B., Loiselle, K., Fenton, N. & Blount, R. (2010). Posttraumatic growth in young adults who experienced serious childhood illness: a mixed-methods approach. J Clin Psychol Med Settings, 17, 340-348.
9.
Dirik, G. & Karanci, A.N. (2008). Variables related to posttraumatic growth in Turkish rheumatoid arthritis patients. J Clin Psychol Med Settings, 15, 193-203.
10.
Harvey, J., Barnett, K. & Overstreet, A. (2004). Trauma growth and other outcomes attendant to loss. Psychological Inquiry, 15, 26-29.
11.
Heszen-Niejodek, I. (2003). Psychologiczne problemy chorych somatycznie. In: Strelau J. (ed.). Psychologia. Podręcznik akademicki [Psychology. Academic textbook] (pp. 513-524). Gdańsk: GWP.
12.
Lechner, S.C. & Antoni, M.H. (2004). Posttraumatic growth and group-based intervention for persons dealing with cancer: What have we learned so far? Psychological Inquiry, 15, 35-41.
13.
Lelorain, S., Tessier, P., Florin, A. & Bonnaud-Antignac, A. (2012). Posttraumatic growth in long term breast cancer survivors: relation to coping, social support and cognitive processing. J Health Psychol, 17, 627-639.
14.
Linley, P.A. & Joseph, S. (2004). Positive change following trauma and adversity: A review. J Trauma Stress, 17, 11-21.
15.
Luszczynska, A., Mohamed, N. & Schwarzer, R. (2005). Self-efficacy and social support predict benefit finding 12 months after cancer surgery: The mediating role of coping strategies. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 10, 365-375.
16.
Manne, S., Ostroff, J., Winkel, G., Goldstein, L., Fox, K. & Grana, G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth after breast cancer: patient, partner, and couple perspectives. Psychosom Med, 66, 442-454.
17.
Michel, G., Taylor, N., Absolom, K. & Eiser, C. (2010). Benefit finding in survivors of childhood cancer and their parents: further empirical support for the Benefit Finding Scale for Children. Child Care, Health Dev, 36, 123-129.
18.
Mystakidou, K., Tsilika, E., Parpa, E., Galanos, A. & Vlahos, L. (2008). Post-traumatic growth in advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care. Br J Health Psychol, 13, 633-646.
19.
Nenova, M., DuHamel, K., Zenon, V., Rini, C. & Redd, W.H. (2013). Posttraumatic growth, social support, and social constraint in hematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors. Psychooncology, 22, 195-202.
20.
Ogińska-Bulik, N. (2010). Potraumatyczny rozwój w chorobie nowotworowej – rola prężności. Pol Forum Psych, 15, 125-139.
21.
Ogińska-Bulik, N. (2012). Osobowy wzrost u nastolatków zmagających się z chorobą nowotworową. Psychoonkologia, 1, 1-8.
22.
Ogińska-Bulik, N. (2013). Pozytywne skutki doświadczeń traumatycznych, czyli kiedy łzy zamieniają się w perły [The Positive Aspects of Traumatic Experiences, or When Tears Turn Into Pearls]. Warszawa: Wyd. Difin.
23.
Ogińska-Bulik, N. & Kwarta, P. (2012). Potraumatyczny wzrost u dzieci i młodzieży – ofiar wypadków drogowych – rola wsparcia społecznego. Pediatria Polska, 87, 552-559.
24.
Phipps, S., Long, A. & Ogden, J. (2007). Benefit finding scale for children: Preliminary findings from a childhood cancer population. J Pediatr Psychol, 32, 1264-1271.
25.
Schmidt, S., Blank, T., Bellizzi, K. & Park, C. (2012). The relationship of coping strategies, social support, and attachment style with posttraumatic growth in cancer survivors. J Health Psychol, 17, 1033-1040.
26.
Schroevers, M.J., Helgeson, V.S., Sanderman, R. & Ranchor, A.V. (2010). Type of social support matters for prediction of posttraumatic growth among cancer patients. Psychooncology, 19, 46-53.
27.
Sears, S.R., Stanton, A.L. & Danoff-Burg, S. (2003). The yellow brick road and the emerald city: benefit finding, positive reappraisal coping, and posttraumatic growth in women with early-stage breast cancer. Health Psychology, 22, 487-496.
28.
Sęk, H. & Cieślak, R. (2004). Wsparcie społeczne – sposoby definiowania, rodzaje i źródła wsparcia, wybrane koncepcje teoretyczne. In: H. Sęk, R. Cieślak (eds.). Wsparcie społeczne, stres i zdrowie [Social support, stress and health] (pp. 11-28). Warszawa: PWN.
29.
Sheik, A.I. (2004). Posttraumatic growth in the context of heart disease. J Clin Psychol Med Settings, 11, 265-273.
30.
Svetina, M. & Nastran, K. (2012). Family relationships and posttraumatic growth in breast cancer patients. Psychiatria Danubina, 24, 298-306.
31.
Tallman, B., Shaw, K., Schultz, J. & Altmaier, E. (2010). Well-being and posttraumatic growth in unrelated donor marrow transplant survivors: a nine-year longitudinal study. Rehabil Psychol, 55, 204-210.
32.
Tanriverd, D., Savas, E. & Can, G. (2012). Posttraumatic growth and social support in Turkish patients with cancer. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 13, 4311-4314.
33.
Taylor, S.E. (1983). Adjustment to threatening events: A theory of cognitive adaptation. Am Psychol, 38, 1161-1173.
34.
Tedeschi, R.G. & Calhoun, L.G. (1996). The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory: measuring the positive legacy of trauma. J Trauma Stress, 9, 455-471.
35.
Tedeschi, R.G. & Calhoun, L.G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry, 15, 1-8.
36.
Tedeschi, R.G. & Calhoun, L.G. (2007). Podejście kliniczne do wzrostu po doświadczeniach traumatycznych. In: P.A. Linley, S. Joseph (eds.). Psychologia pozytywna w praktyce [Positive psychology in practice] (pp. 230-248). Warszawa: PWN.
37.
Tedeschi, R.G., Park, C.L. & Calhoun, L.G. (1998). Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual issues. In: R.G. Tedeschi, C.L. Park, L.G. Calhoun (eds.). Posttraumatic growth: Positive changes in the aftermath of crisis (pp. 1-22). Mahwah: Erlbaum.
38.
Texteira, R. & Pereira, M. (2013). Factors contributing to posttraumatic growth and its buffering effect in adult children of cancer patients undergoing treatment. J Psychosoc Oncol, 31, 235-265.
39.
Thornton, A.A. & Perez, M.A. (2006). Postraumatic growth in prostate cancer survivors and their partners. Psychooncology, 15, 285-296.
40.
Weiss, T. (2004). Correlates of posttraumatic growth in married breast cancer survivors. J Social Clin Psychol, 23, 733-746.
41.
Widera, A., Juczyński, Z. & Popiela, T. (2003). Psychologiczne wyznaczniki stresu pourazowego u pacjentów onkologicznych po okaleczających zabiegach chirurgicznych. Psychoonkologia, 7, 31-36.
42.
Widows, M.R., Jacobsen, P.B., Booth-Jones, M. & Fields, K.K. (2005). Predictors of posttraumatic growth following bone marrow transplantation for cancer. Health Psychol, 24, 266-273.
43.
Wortman, C.B. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: progress and problems. Psychological Inquiry, 15, 81-90.
44.
Yaskowich, K.M. (2003). Posttraumatic growth in children and adolescents with cancer. Dissertation Abstract International. The Sciences and Engineering, 63 (8-B, 3948).
45.
Zemore, R. & Shepel, L. (1989). Effects of breast cancer and mastectomy on emotional support and adjustment. Soc Sci Med, 28, 19-27.
Copyright: © Institute of Psychology, University of Gdansk This is an Open Access journal, all articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, provided the original work is properly cited and states its license.
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
| eISSN: | 2353-5571 |
| ISSN: | 2353-4184 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
