Objective: Over the past two decades there has been significant research on the benefits of leisure participation in increasing quality of life (QoL). Additionally, there is a substantial foundation of research exploring the role of leisure engagement in life-threatening illness and cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the role of regular hobby participation on QoL with regards to finding purpose and meaning making, increased coping skills, and social support through hobby participation during breast cancer treatment.
Method: Qualitative descriptive study using snowball sampling for participant recruitment. Data collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis completed through process of in vivo coding, categorization, and theming.
Findings: Major themes found were (1) hobby participation was unimportant during early stages of cancer diagnosis, (2) level of participation impacted overall emotional state, (3) hobby participation strengthened relationships, and (4) cancer experience led to post-traumatic growth.
Conclusion: Hobby participation during cancer treatment is believed to increase quality of life during the course of breast cancer treatment based on data collected from participants after completion of cancer treatment. With increased understanding of the role of occupational engagement during cancer treatment, there is room for occupational therapy to increase preventative services for individuals experiencing cancer.
","abstract_html":"<p>Objective: Over the past two decades there has been significant research on the benefits of leisure participation in increasing quality of life (QoL). Additionally, there is a substantial foundation of research exploring the role of leisure engagement in life-threatening illness and cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the role of regular hobby participation on QoL with regards to finding purpose and meaning making, increased coping skills, and social support through hobby participation during breast cancer treatment. </p> <p>Method: Qualitative descriptive study using snowball sampling for participant recruitment. Data collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis completed through process of in vivo coding, categorization, and theming. </p> <p>Findings: Major themes found were (1) hobby participation was unimportant during early stages of cancer diagnosis, (2) level of participation impacted overall emotional state, (3) hobby participation strengthened relationships, and (4) cancer experience led to post-traumatic growth. </p> <p>Conclusion: Hobby participation during cancer treatment is believed to increase quality of life during the course of breast cancer treatment based on data collected from participants after completion of cancer treatment. With increased understanding of the role of occupational engagement during cancer treatment, there is room for occupational therapy to increase preventative services for individuals experiencing cancer. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Keuter, Bethany Lynn"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:00Z","subjects":["Cancer treatment","Hobby","Leisure","Quality of life","Occupational Therapy"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2019 Bethany Lynn Keuter"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/630","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Keuter, Bethany Lynn"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Cancer treatment","Hobby","Leisure","Quality of life","Occupational Therapy"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2019 Bethany Lynn Keuter"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/630"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Objective: Over the past two decades there has been significant research on the benefits of leisure participation in increasing quality of life (QoL). Additionally, there is a substantial foundation of research exploring the role of leisure engagement in life-threatening illness and cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the role of regular hobby participation on QoL with regards to finding purpose and meaning making, increased coping skills, and social support through hobby participation during breast cancer treatment.
Method: Qualitative descriptive study using snowball sampling for participant recruitment. Data collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis completed through process of in vivo coding, categorization, and theming.
Findings: Major themes found were (1) hobby participation was unimportant during early stages of cancer diagnosis, (2) level of participation impacted overall emotional state, (3) hobby participation strengthened relationships, and (4) cancer experience led to post-traumatic growth.
Conclusion: Hobby participation during cancer treatment is believed to increase quality of life during the course of breast cancer treatment based on data collected from participants after completion of cancer treatment. With increased understanding of the role of occupational engagement during cancer treatment, there is room for occupational therapy to increase preventative services for individuals experiencing cancer.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/PDF"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Understanding the Impact of Hobby Participation on Quality of Life During Cancer Treatment"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Keuter, Bethany Lynn"],"dc:description.abstract":["Objective: Over the past two decades there has been significant research on the benefits of leisure participation in increasing quality of life (QoL). Additionally, there is a substantial foundation of research exploring the role of leisure engagement in life-threatening illness and cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the role of regular hobby participation on QoL with regards to finding purpose and meaning making, increased coping skills, and social support through hobby participation during breast cancer treatment.
Method: Qualitative descriptive study using snowball sampling for participant recruitment. Data collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis completed through process of in vivo coding, categorization, and theming.
Findings: Major themes found were (1) hobby participation was unimportant during early stages of cancer diagnosis, (2) level of participation impacted overall emotional state, (3) hobby participation strengthened relationships, and (4) cancer experience led to post-traumatic growth.
Conclusion: Hobby participation during cancer treatment is believed to increase quality of life during the course of breast cancer treatment based on data collected from participants after completion of cancer treatment. With increased understanding of the role of occupational engagement during cancer treatment, there is room for occupational therapy to increase preventative services for individuals experiencing cancer.
"],"dc:format":["application/PDF"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/630"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2019 Bethany Lynn Keuter"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["Cancer treatment","Hobby","Leisure","Quality of life","Occupational Therapy"],"dc:title":["Understanding the Impact of Hobby Participation on Quality of Life During Cancer Treatment"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:00Z"}