Contingent hope theory: The developmental exploration of hope and identity reconciliation among young adults with advanced cancers
| Autor: | Lauren E. Gulbas, Elizabeth C. Pomeroy, Casey Walsh, Barbara L. Jones, Jennifer Currin-McCulloch, Kelly M. Trevino |
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| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
media_common.quotation_subject Emotions Agency (philosophy) Psychology of self Identity (social science) Article Grounded theory Developmental psychology Young Adult 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Neoplasms Humans 030212 general & internal medicine Meaning (existential) General Nursing media_common Uncertainty General Medicine Southeastern United States Psychiatry and Mental health Clinical Psychology Feeling 030220 oncology & carcinogenesis Grief Psychology Psychosocial |
| Zdroj: | Palliat Support Care |
| ISSN: | 1478-9523 1478-9515 |
| Popis: | ObjectiveThe diagnosis of an advanced cancer in young adulthood can bring one's life to an abrupt halt, calling attention to the present moment and creating anguish about an uncertain future. There is seldom time or physical stamina to focus on forward-thinking, social roles, relationships, or dreams. As a result, young adults (YAs) with advanced cancer frequently encounter existential distress, despair, and question the purpose of their life. We sought to investigate the meaning and function of hope throughout YAs’ disease trajectory; to discern the psychosocial processes YAs employ to engage hope; and to develop a substantive theory of hope of YAs diagnosed with advanced cancer.MethodThirteen YAs (ages 23–38) diagnosed with a stage III or IV cancer were recruited throughout the eastern and southeastern United States. Participants completed one semi-structured interview in-person, by phone, or Skype, that incorporated an original timeline instrument assessing fluctuations in hope and an online socio-demographic survey. Glaser's grounded theory methodology informed constant comparative methods of data collection, analysis, and interpretation.ResultsFindings from this study informed the development of the novelcontingent hopetheoretical framework, which describes the pattern of psychosocial behaviors YAs with advanced cancer employ to reconcile identities and strive for a life of meaning. The ability to cultivate the necessary agency and pathways to reconcile identities became contingent on the YAs’ participation in each of the psychosocial processes of the contingent hope theoretical framework: navigating uncertainty, feeling broken, disorienting grief, finding bearings, and identity reconciliation.Significance of ResultsStudy findings portray the influential role of hope in motivating YAs with advanced cancer through disorienting grief toward an integrated sense of self that marries cherished aspects of multiple identities. The contingent hope theoretical framework details psychosocial behaviors to inform assessments and interventions fostering hope and identity reconciliation. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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