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. 2013 Sep;23(9):1155-67.
doi: 10.1177/1049732313499074. Epub 2013 Jul 17.

The nature of life-transforming changes among cancer survivors

Perry Skeath  1 , Shanti Norris, Vani Katheria, Jonathan White, Karen Baker, Dan Handel, Esther Sternberg, John Pollack, Hunter Groninger, Jayne Phillips, Ann Berger
Affiliations

The nature of life-transforming changes among cancer survivors

Perry Skeath et al. Qual Health Res. 2013 Sep.

Abstract

Some cancer survivors report positive subjective changes they describe as "life transforming." We used a grounded theory approach to identify the content, underlying process, and identifying characteristics of self-defined "life-transforming" changes (LTCs) reported by 9 cancer survivors. To actualize their hopes for improvement, participants used a self-guided process centered on pragmatic action: researching options, gaining experience, and frankly evaluating results. Many participants discovered unanticipated personal abilities and resources, and those became highly useful in coping with other challenges apart from cancer. This made the increased personal abilities and resources "life transforming" rather than being substantially limited to reducing cancer-related problems. The action-oriented features and processes of LTCs seemed to be more fully described by experiential learning theory than by posttraumatic growth and coping. Supportive intervention to facilitate positive change processes could decrease suffering and enhance positive psychosocial and spiritual outcomes for cancer survivors.

Keywords: cancer, psychosocial aspects; coping and adaptation; healing; illness and disease, life-threatening / terminal; lived experience; palliative care; resilience; self-efficacy; survivorship.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparison of population domains.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Typology of learning. (Adapted from Jarvis, 1992).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cancer-related life-transforming change process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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