Show simple item record

dc.contributor.authorMorris, Bronwyn A
dc.contributor.authorLepore, Stephen J
dc.contributor.authorWilson, Bridget
dc.contributor.authorLieberman, Morton A
dc.contributor.authorDunn, Jeff
dc.contributor.authorChambers, Suzanne K
dc.date.accessioned2018-07-10T23:59:03Z
dc.date.available2018-07-10T23:59:03Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.date.modified2014-09-04T04:26:24Z
dc.identifier.issn1932-2259
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s11764-014-0355-5
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10072/62708
dc.description.abstractPurpose The term cancer survivor can refer to individuals from diagnosis through the rest of their life. However, not all people with cancer identify as a survivor, and underlying factors and correlates are yet to be well-explored empirically. Methods Study 1 surveyed men in a prostate cancer peer support network (n=514), exploring psychosocial variables related to adopting a survivor identity. Study 2 interviewed 160 women with breast cancer in an online support group and collected observational data, assessing how survivor identity relates to perceptions of and participation in online support groups. Results Formen, survivor identity (35 %) was related to lower levels of threat appraisal (p=.000),more deliberate rumination (p=.042), gaining greater understanding of cancer experience through peers (p=.041) and a higher, though marginally significant, level of posttraumatic growth (p=.052). Women adopting a survivor identity (50 %) had higher rates of online support group posts (p=.048), a greater feeling of mattering to the group (p=.002), rated the group as more helpful (p=.004 to .01) and had less difficulty in relating to the group (p=.002) than women not identifying as a survivor. Conclusions Survivor identity was related to active and positive engagement with peers, and cognitive processing. Implications for cancer survivors While the cancer survivor metaphor may be salient for some people diagnosed with cancer, many did not associate with the term, highlighting the complexity surrounding survivorship discourse and the need to be sensitive to unique individual needs in psychosocial interventions that involve groups.
dc.description.peerreviewedYes
dc.description.publicationstatusYes
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherSpringer
dc.publisher.placeUnited States
dc.relation.ispartofstudentpublicationN
dc.relation.ispartofpagefrom1
dc.relation.ispartofpageto10
dc.relation.ispartofjournalJournal of Cancer Survivorship
dc.rights.retentionY
dc.subject.fieldofresearchOncology and carcinogenesis
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode3211
dc.titleAdopting a survivor identity after cancer in a peer support context
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.descriptionC1 - Articles
dc.type.codeC - Journal Articles
dc.description.versionAccepted Manuscript (AM)
gro.facultyGriffith Health, School of Applied Psychology
gro.rights.copyright© 2014 Springer US. This is an electronic version of an article published in Journal of Cancer Survivorship, PP. 1-10, 2014. Journal of Cancer Survivorship is available online at: http://link.springer.com/ with the open URL of your article.
gro.hasfulltextFull Text
gro.griffith.authorChambers, Suzanne K.


Files in this item

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

  • Journal articles
    Contains articles published by Griffith authors in scholarly journals.

Show simple item record