Subjective well-being of cancer patients and their caregivers

• Main Author: Marian, Rudolf Pillai
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2009
• Subjects: Cancer—Patients; Caregivers; Well-being; Counseling Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/267; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_doctoral/article/1266/viewcontent/CDTG004615_P.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study investigated the experience of subjective well-being of cancer patients and their caregivers with a view of evolving an empirically derived model of subjective well-being of cancer patients and their caregivers and developing a psycho-educational program. This study employed the Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) as its method of inquiry. The participants were 12 pairs of cancer patients (n=12) and their caregivers (n=12) who were chosen through a purposive sampling method. This study used in-depth interviews as the main mode of data gathering. Overall results reveal that experiencing cancer has a definite effect on the patients and the caregivers which are manifested in dimensions like attitudinal change towards self, family, others, spirituality, experience of predominant unpleasant feelings, and adjustments in behaviors. The results also indicate that the cancer patients and their caregivers have their own way of coping with lifes demands. The personal factors that helped the patients and caregivers to cope are active coping, seeking emotional support, positive reinterpretation, spiritual coping, behavioral and mental disengagement. The external factors that help the patients and caregivers to cope are support from family, friends, church members, other cancer patients and their caregivers. The relationship between the cancer patients and caregivers play an important role in helping them face the challenges of their lives and maintaining their SWB. There is an increased level of communication between the patients and their caregivers after the diagnosis of cancer. An intervention program was developed to help the patients and their caregivers to increase their ability of coping and to enhance their SWB. Based on the findings of this study the researcher has offered proposals with implications for counseling practice and intervention, and recommendations for future research.