University of Twente Student Theses
Posttraumatische groei bij partners en overige naaste familieleden van kankerpatiënten : Wat is er al bekend? – een systematic review
Jansman, M.J. (2014) Posttraumatische groei bij partners en overige naaste familieleden van kankerpatiënten : Wat is er al bekend? – een systematic review.
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| Abstract: | Purpose: Being diagnosed with cancer is not only for patients a major life event, it also has great impact on partners en close relatives. So far, there has been particularly close attention to the negative effects that a major life event such as cancer brings. However, recent research has shown that, in addition to the negative effects, there may be positive effects for both cancer patients themselves and their partners en close relatives. This is called posttraumatic growth (PTG). Although there is a lot of information about PTG in patients themselves, an overview of what is already known about PTG in partners and close relatives of patients is lacking. This systematic review will change this by answering the question: “What is already known about PTG in partners and close relatives of cancer patients?” Method: The database Scopus has been used for the search of relevant articles. A number of different terms have been drawn up, after which there was a search for articles that contained a combination of these concepts in title, abstract or keyword. This search strategy resulted in 91 hits. Having assessed the articles on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 21 relevant articles remained. Results: Most studies about PTG in partners and close relatives of cancer patients have occurred in the United States and most of the studies are quantitative. The literature shows that partners and close relatives experience PTG, although the extent to which they experience PTG is lower than the extent to which cancer patients experience PTG. Partners and close relatives report the most growth in the areas of personal strength, appreciation of life and relating to others. Little is known about the relationship of PTG (in partners and close relatives of cancer patients) with demographic and psychosocial variables, personality traits, disease related variables and quality of life. What is emerging from the evaluated studies is that women tend to experience more PTG than men and that there is a positive relation between PTG and stress (the higher the degree of stress, the more someone experiences PTG) and between PTG and family support (the more support, the more someone experiences PTG). Conclusion: Partners and close relatives of cancer patients experience PTG as a result of living with/caring for a cancer patient, but it is not clear which variables facilitate or hinder the experience of PTG. Further research could provide more insight in the development of PTG over time and in the way in which PTG is associated with demographic and psychosocial variables, personality traits, disease related variables and quality of life. Based on that, it could be determined whether interventions in favor of promoting PTG are desirable and if so, how it should be designed. Limitations of this study are being discussed and recommendations are given. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/65716 |
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