“A little bit different now”: Impacts of caregiving for parent with cancer on psychosocial development in emerging and young adulthood
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Serving as a family caregiver for, and ultimately losing, a parent with advanced cancer in emerging and young adulthood has substantial, life phase-specific implications for psychosocial development. This qualitative study characterizes domains of psychosocial development impacted by cancer caregiving and parental death in this life phase. As part of a larger study, 33 bereaved emerging/young adult caregivers of parents who died following advanced cancer completed semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis leveraging the constant comparative method was conducted by two coders and generated three themes, which described impacts of caregiving on: identity, life path, and relational intimacy and roles. Analyses also defined specific outcomes within these domains. Findings suggest that cancer caregiving-loss experiences can greatly influence developmental pursuits in this life phase. Findings validate a range of possible psychosocial impacts these caregivers may experience and can guide development of supportive resources for this growing subgroup of bereaved family caregivers.
Source: Death Studies
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G2051006376, G289723095, G4102770861, G5896684447, G9000003249, Cancer Center Support Grant, Psychosocial Palliative and Community Research in Cancer, Yale Training Program in Geriatric Clinical Epidemiology and Aging-Related Research, Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center at Yale
OpenAlex ID: W4391389077