title: The nature of life-transforming changes among cancer survivors.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. perryskeath@email.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Perry
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skeath
authors.forename: Shanti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: Vani
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Katheria
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Handel
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sternberg
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.forename: Hunter
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Groninger
authors.forename: Jayne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012803:Sick Role; D029181:Spirituality; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: cancer, psychosocial aspects; coping and adaptation; healing; illness and disease, life-threatening / terminal; lived experience; palliative care; resilience; self-efficacy; survivorship