Post traumatic growth in women with breast cancer

Abstract

Cancer survivors have the potential for personal growth, demonstrating positive changes in personal, interpersonal and socio-cultural functioning.vA diagnosis of cancer, which is perceived as life-threatening and seismic, demands an individual to accommodate changes in all areas of life, often leading to positive adaptive changes known as posttraumatic growth (Tedeschi and Calhoun, 2008). The aim of the present study was to explore what constitutes the experience of posttraumatic growth among women survivors of breast cancer with the objectives of understanding how they make sense of their diagnosis, exploring the strategies through which they negotiate the illness identity, exploring positive and negative changes in newlinethem as a result of the illness experience, and investigating the individual and socio-cultural factors that contribute to the experience of posttraumatic growth in the Indian context. This study employed a newlinequalitative approach using the phenomenological paradigm. Purposive newlinesampling was used to identity thirteen women who were diagnosed with early stage breast cancer (stage one or two) during their reproductive years and had completed cancer treatment i.e. surgery, chemotherapy and newlineradiation therapy at least one year prior to participating in this study. A short form of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (2010) was used to screen for positive changes, and Kuppuswamy s scale for socioeconomic status (2015) enabled selection of women belonging to middle class population, to ensure homogeneity within the sample. Semi structured interviews were used to collect data which was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Interview guide validation, member check, inter-coder reliability and an audit trail ensured newlinevalidity of findings. One negative case in the sample displayed a positive attitude and approach, however did not report these changes due to cancer. It may be inferred that spiritual/ philosophical beliefs of the newlineparticipant shaped her worldview to accommodate and accept cancer. newline