Morris, Bronwyn A. and Lepore, Stephen J. and Wilson, Bridget and Lieberman, Morton A. and Dunn, Jeff 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1180-3381 and Chambers, Suzanne K.
(2014)
Adopting a survivor identity after cancer in a peer support context.
Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 8 (3).
pp. 427-436.
ISSN 1932-2259
Abstract
Purpose: 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: For men, 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.
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| Item Type: | Article (Commonwealth Reporting Category C) |
|---|---|
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | No Faculty |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | No Faculty |
| Date Deposited: | 08 Jun 2017 23:23 |
| Last Modified: | 08 Jun 2017 23:23 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Cancer; Peer support; Posttraumatic growth; Survivor identity; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Neoplasms; Peer Group; Survivors; |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 11 Medical and Health Sciences > 1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis > 111299 Oncology and Carcinogenesis not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3211 Oncology and carcinogenesis > 321199 Oncology and carcinogenesis not elsewhere classified |
| Socio-Economic Objectives (2008): | E Expanding Knowledge > 97 Expanding Knowledge > 970111 Expanding Knowledge in the Medical and Health Sciences |
| Identification Number or DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-014-0355-5 |
| URI: | http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/32036 |
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