Psychological Responses to Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Survivorship
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Psychological Responses to Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Survivorship
IRAS ID
292661
Contact name
Siri Hartmann
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 23 days
Research summary
Every year, around 2,500 teenagers and young adults (TYA) receive a diagnosis of cancer. The diagnosis and treatment is considered a traumatic experience for the patients and there are many negative consequences, including low mood, anxiety and isolation. However, research is focusing more and more on ways to improve the life of those surviving cancer.
One of those positive aspects is posttraumatic growth (PTG). Following a traumatic event, such as a car accident, a hurricane or cancer, trauma survivors sometimes develop PTG. PTG occurs when individuals have moved beyond how they perceived the world before the traumatic event occurred and are able to find new meanings in life and personal relationships. PTG usually occurs within someone’s interpersonal relationships, a person’s perception of themselves and also in the way they view their life. Research so far has not focused much on the factors predicting PTG. This is even more limited when it comes to TYA cancer survivors.Therefore, the proposed study aims to look at what might be able to predict posttraumatic growth. The potential predictor that is utilised in the proposed study is psychological flexibility, which is a person’s ability to fully be in the present moment and to act according to the person’s values.
The proposed study, therefore, wants to look at how psychological flexibility can predict posttraumatic growth by using an online questionnaire. Recruitment will involve an NHS and a social media pathway.
REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/1601
Date of REC Opinion
27 Jan 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion