Breast Cancer Patients' Perspectives on the Helpfulness of Supportive Offerings

<p>Research suggests that breast cancer patients seek and benefit from social support that they view as helpful. Previous qualitative studies have explored overtly negative behaviors by family and friends in some depth. Several quantitative studies have explored how support that is viewed as unhelpful constrains, hinders coping, and causes distress to breast cancer patients. The current study differs from previous studies in that it provides an exploration of the perceived helpfulness of support provision that is well-intended. This study employed a phenomenological approach based on the interpretivist lifeworld perspective. It was conceptualized within the postmodern paradigm which draws from the works of Durkheim and Foucault and emphasizes cultural influences on social phenomena. Ethnography was used as the research method because it is ideal for bringing to light the experiences of social support as perceived by breast cancer patients. Data collection and analysis was guided by Spradley’s (1979) Developmental Research Sequence. Analysis of 20 individual interviews, 2 focus groups, and 20 published writings by breast cancer patients identified 7 main themes that provide an in-depth understanding of the helpfulness of supportive offerings from their perspectives. The results indicate supportive offerings that demonstrate caring and facilitate the management of feelings are helpful. Supportive offerings that alienate, are nonchalant or dismissive, provide unsolicited advice, are perceived as constraining, or pressure recipients into providing a positive outcome to their experience are perceived as unhelpful. The findings from this study provide a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to the salutary effects of support provision. It is expected that these findings will enable support providers, clinicians, and health care practitioners and agencies to determine the extent to which their supportive offerings meet the needs of this target population and to make changes that could benefit future breast cancer patients.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social Work and Social Ecology

Year

2015

Author dc:creator

• Jarvis, Renee Lauren

Contributors dc:contributor

• Owen, Jason E.
• Winslow, Betty
• Ortiz, Larry

• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Social Psychology and Interaction
• Breast Neoplasms - Psychology; Breast Neoplasms - Therapy; Patient Satisfaction; Social Support; Patient Outcome Assessment
• Interpretivist Lifeworld Perspective
• Breast Cancer Patients

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/240

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1240