Psychological processing among caregivers of allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients: Qualitative findings from a longitudinal study

Abstract

Purpose: To describe caregiver psychological processing during the 12 weeks after transplant and the potential role of positive emotions in caregiving experiences.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal qualitative descriptive study and interviewed 11 BMT caregivers monthly for 12-weeks post-transplant about their experiences and psychological processing. We analyzed 38 interviews using directed content analysis based on guiding theories and inductive in vivo coding to develop themes.

Results: The majority of participants appraised caregiving as a challenge that needed to be met. Caregivers described feeling positive emotions throughout the time after transplant (gratitude, interest, and hope). We identified two new themes: mirroring (caregiver feelings reflecting patient status) and emotion regulation (hiding negative emotions and displaying positive emotions when with the patient).

Implications: Findings provide further evidence that interventions focused on emotion regulation and positive emotion experiences during caregiving to reduce the negative effects of caregiving related stress may be promising.

Keywords: bone marrow transplant; cancer; caregiving; emotions; stress.

Figure 1.

Study theoretical framework. The theory of chronic stress responses and positive emotions in the context of cancer caregiving, this theory is based on the psychoneuroimmunology based-paradigm and the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions.