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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Profiles Of Family Functioning In Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Patients: Longitudinal Associations With Child Well-Being, Sydney Sumrall
Profiles Of Family Functioning In Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Patients: Longitudinal Associations With Child Well-Being, Sydney Sumrall
Theses and Dissertations
This study aims to assess 1) patterns of family functioning and 2) longitudinal associations between family functioning patterns and well-being in a vulnerable cohort of children with chronic illness. Caregivers of hematology (16.4%) and oncology (83.6%) patients ages 7-20 (N=55; Mage = 13.3 [SD = 2.7]; 52.7% female; 45.5% non-Latinx White, 38.2% Black or African American, 12.7% Latinx, 1.8% Asian, and 1.8% multi-racial,) reported on family functioning via the Family Assessment Device. Cluster analyses identified three mutually exclusive clusters: one high adaptive group, one moderate adaptive group, and one maladaptive group. Group membership was not significantly …
Examining Sleep And Family Functioning In Pediatric Craniopharyngioma Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Nour Al Ghriwati
Examining Sleep And Family Functioning In Pediatric Craniopharyngioma Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Nour Al Ghriwati
Theses and Dissertations
Craniopharyngiomas are among the most common brain tumors in children and are associated with greater rates of sleep problems compared to other pediatric cancers. However, research examining sleep among youth with craniopharyngioma has been limited by a reliance on retrospective reports or sleep studies. Families also play a crucial role in children’s adjustment following a pediatric cancer diagnosis, yet remarkably little is known about transactional associations between family functioning and sleep in pediatric cancer. This study examined cross-sectional and daily associations among family functioning, affect, and sleep difficulties for youth with pediatric craniopharyngioma using retrospective reports and ecological momentary assessment …
Stress Management For Cancer Survivors Using A Technologically Adapted Psychosocial Intervention: A Randomized Trial Determining The Effect Of Expressive Writing On Psychoneuroimmunology Based Outcomes, Utkarsh B. Subnis
Theses and Dissertations
Patients with cancer transitioning from completing their final cancer treatments to survivorship are particularly at risk for experiencing psychosocial stress, and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has referred to these cancer patients as “lost in transition.” In this study, patients with cancer in their transition phase after completing their final radiation treatment were defined as cancer survivors (CS). CS must deal with chronic stressors such as the fear of cancer recurrence as well as the resumption of their roles in their family and work lives. Chronic stress impacts the nervous system and increases secretion of stress hormones (e.g. cortisol) from …
The Role Of Family Organization In Family Health History Communication About Cancer, Vivian M. Rodríguez
The Role Of Family Organization In Family Health History Communication About Cancer, Vivian M. Rodríguez
Theses and Dissertations
Family health history (FHH) has been recognized as an important tool in cancer prevention and health promotion. To date, literature on FHH discussions about cancer have largely focused on patient-physician communication or the dissemination of cancer-specific genetic tests results within the family. Fewer studies have sought to identify family factors that may promote FHH discussions, yet this type of information could be used to identify families needing support in having these conversations. Thus, the present study examined relations between family organization (cohesion and flexibility), communication openness, and FHH communication about cancer within a diverse group of women recruited from an …
Dispositional Mindfulness In People Diagnosed With Cancer: The Relationship To Depressive Symptoms And Well-Being, Karen Kersting
Dispositional Mindfulness In People Diagnosed With Cancer: The Relationship To Depressive Symptoms And Well-Being, Karen Kersting
Theses and Dissertations
Coping with a cancer diagnosis is known to be a stressful experience that can be related to declines in personal well-being and increases in distress. Dispositional mindfulness is known to be related to depressive symptoms and well-being. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between mindfulness and experiences of depressive symptoms and well-being in people recently diagnosed with cancer. Seventy-four participants who were diagnosed with cancer in the last 12 months completed an initial self-report survey, and 43 of those completed another survey 3 months later. Cross-sectional regression analysis showed that higher levels of mindfulness were …
Social Support Received Online And Offline By Individuals Diagnosed With Cancer, Jessye Cohen
Social Support Received Online And Offline By Individuals Diagnosed With Cancer, Jessye Cohen
Theses and Dissertations
Life after treatment for cancer has become a primary focus for health service provider communities as the number of individuals living longer grows. The medical and psychosocial needs of cancer survivors have been prominent in the popular and scientific literature. A major focus for psychologists has been the relationships and social support networks of individuals diagnosed with cancer. The current study explored a recent phenomenon within this realm, the use of Internet resources for online support. The purpose of this study was to compare social support received online and social support received offline among people diagnosed with cancer who use …
Understanding Posttraumatic Growth Among Individuals With Cancer: The Role Of Social Support And Unsupportive Interactions, Wendy Balliet
Understanding Posttraumatic Growth Among Individuals With Cancer: The Role Of Social Support And Unsupportive Interactions, Wendy Balliet
Theses and Dissertations
The experience of being diagnosed with and treated for cancer is an extremely stressful experience for most individuals. Historically, the literature on stress and coping has focused on negative outcomes, such as depression and anxiety, in relation to one‘s experience with cancer. Under-represented in the literature has been a theoretical framework that examines positive and transformative experiences that may occur throughout the cancer experience. The current study assessed interpersonal variables that rarely have been investigated in relation to one‘s experience with cancer (i.e., received social support and unsupportive interactions) and their association with depressive symptoms, positive emotion, and posttraumatic growth …
Informal Caregivers Of Advanced Cancer Patients: The Impact Of Geographic Proximity On Social Support And Bereavement Adjustment, John Garland Cagle
Informal Caregivers Of Advanced Cancer Patients: The Impact Of Geographic Proximity On Social Support And Bereavement Adjustment, John Garland Cagle
Theses and Dissertations
This research explored the social and psychological needs of caregivers of advanced cancer patients, and their subsequent bereavement adjustment. The study focuses exclusively on informal caregivers who provide assistance to patients receiving hospice care for end-stage cancer. Those individuals living furthest from the dying care recipient, the long distance caregivers, were of particular interest. This study used a prospective design to explore how a caregiver's geographic proximity impacted their social support and bereavement adjustment. A 2 x 3 repeated measures design was used to gather data from caregivers before a patient's death (using a pre-death questionnaire) as well as after …
The Influence Of Physical Activity And Television On The Intention And Self-Efficacy To Engage In Health-Enhancing Behaviors, Ian Joseph Wallace
The Influence Of Physical Activity And Television On The Intention And Self-Efficacy To Engage In Health-Enhancing Behaviors, Ian Joseph Wallace
Theses and Dissertations
Cancer and heart disease account for the largest proportion of morbidity and mortality among all adult diseases in the United States. Research has focused on identifying causal risk factors among adolescents. However, theories of health behavior change also stress the intermediary factors of intention and efficacy for effective behavior change. Existing research supports the potential of physical activity (PA), particularly learned through the domains of exercise and sport, as a means to developing these necessary skills (Danish, Petitpas, & Hale, 1993). The current investigation examined the influence of PA and television watching (TV) on intentions and efficacy to engage in …
Perceptions Of Academic And Social Self-Efficacy Among Adolescents Diagnosed With Cancer And Their Relations With Dispositional Optimism, Perceived Vulnerability, And Treatment Modality, Rebecca Hope Foster
Perceptions Of Academic And Social Self-Efficacy Among Adolescents Diagnosed With Cancer And Their Relations With Dispositional Optimism, Perceived Vulnerability, And Treatment Modality, Rebecca Hope Foster
Theses and Dissertations
For adolescents with cancer, a population notably neglected in the literature, maintaining and strengthening academic and social self-efficacy is especially salient in terms of promoting positive adaptation on key developmental indices. Based on prior research citing their potential roles among adolescents adapting to cancer, treatment modality, dispositional optimism, and perceived vulnerability were chosen as variables likely related to social and academic self-efficacy. Forty-two adolescents diagnosed with cancer and at least six months post-treatment completed questionnaire packets. Analyses indicated that although treatment modality did not relate to academic or social self-efficacy, prognosis should be considered as a covariate. Hierarchical regression analyses …
Complementary And Alternative Medicine And Diet Change In Southern Rural Residents Enrolled In A Cancer Prevention Intervention Trial, Amanda Kracen
Complementary And Alternative Medicine And Diet Change In Southern Rural Residents Enrolled In A Cancer Prevention Intervention Trial, Amanda Kracen
Theses and Dissertations
Using data from The Rural Physician Cancer Prevention Project, a dietary intervention trial, this cross-sectional, longitudinal study explored predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in a Southern, rural population (N = 375). Participants' dietary knowledge, stage of change, and dietary behavior were examined at baseline and 1 and 12 months after the intervention. More than half the participants (mean age = 48 years; 60% female; 60% Caucasian) reported using CAM. Logistic regression indicated that age, education, ethnicity and trust in physician affect the likelihood of CAM use. Hierarchical multiple regressions suggested that CAM use was associated with healthier …