title: "I'm a survivor, go study that word and you'll see my name": adolescent and cancer identity work over the first year after diagnosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The diagnosis of cancer in adolescence is a significant challenge, particularly because of the developmental expectations of this life-stage, regarding autonomy and identity formation. Adolescents must assimilate cancer into their normative identity work.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to explore and describe themes common to adolescents with cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal qualitative descriptive design was used. Participants were interviewed up to 4 times during the first year after diagnosis, and inductive content analysis was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen adolescents participated. The most salient themes over time related to the development of adolescent identity, cancer identity, and integration of the two into an adolescent with cancer identity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research demonstrates the active role that adolescents with cancer take in constructing their identities both around their cancer and separate of it. Further research is needed to more fully delineate this process, but this research provides a framework for next steps.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding this process allows practitioners to provide anticipatory guidance for adolescents experiencing cancer, understanding their need for peer support (peers with cancer and without) as well as the need to normalize the cancer experience to the greatest extent possible.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri (Dr Stegenga); and Family and Child Nursing, University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle, and Cancer Care Unit, Seattle Children's Hospital, Washington (Dr Macpherson).
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stegenga
authors.forename: Catherine Fiona
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Macpherson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012933:Social Identification; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*