Raque-Bogdan Trisha L, Hoffman Mary Ann, Ginter Amanda C, Piontkowski Sarah, Schexnayder Kelci, White Rachel
Department of Counseling and Higher Education, University of Maryland, College Park.
Department of Family Science, University of Maryland, College Park.
J Couns Psychol. 2015 Oct;62(4):655-69. doi: 10.1037/cou0000068. Epub 2015 Mar 9.
Breast cancer survivors represent the largest proportion of cancer survivors, and the rate of young breast cancer survivors who are diagnosed before the age of 40 is increasing. Cancer survivorship scholarship has begun to address many aspects of survivors' quality of life, yet the role of work and career issues have been understudied, particularly for young survivors. To explore the work lives and career development of young breast cancer survivors, this study used consensual qualitative research methodology (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997) to analyze data from qualitative interviews with 13 young women diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 40. The 4 career-related domains that emerged from the data were (a) cancer-related work challenges, (b) coping with cancer-related work challenges, (c) reappraisal of career development after cancer, and (d) components of career and life satisfaction after cancer. Experiencing breast cancer at a young age was viewed by participants as contributing to an increased desire for work to provide a sense of meaning as well as financial security and insurance. Cancer was further viewed as contributing to lost control over career success and work choices, treatment side effects that interfere with work self-efficacy and capabilities, and interpersonal difficulties connecting within and outside of work. Women with more extensive cancer treatment and side effects reported greater work struggles. Despite this, participants' cancer narratives were characterized by a range of coping strategies, including reframing and seeking control, and by evidence of persistence, resilience, and hope. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
乳腺癌幸存者在癌症幸存者中占比最大，且40岁之前被诊断出的年轻乳腺癌幸存者的比例正在上升。癌症幸存者研究领域已开始关注幸存者生活质量的诸多方面，但工作和职业问题的作用却未得到充分研究，尤其是对于年轻幸存者而言。为了探究年轻乳腺癌幸存者的工作经历和职业发展，本研究采用了共识定性研究方法（希尔、汤普森和威廉姆斯，1997年），对13名40岁之前被诊断出患有乳腺癌的年轻女性的定性访谈数据进行了分析。从数据中浮现出的4个与职业相关的领域分别是：（a）与癌症相关的工作挑战；（b）应对与癌症相关的工作挑战；（c）癌症后对职业发展的重新评估；（d）癌症后职业和生活满意度的构成要素。参与者认为，年轻时患乳腺癌会促使她们更渴望工作，以获得意义感以及经济保障和保险。癌症还被认为导致对职业成功和工作选择失去控制、治疗副作用干扰工作自我效能和能力，以及工作内外人际关系方面的困难。接受更广泛癌症治疗且副作用更多的女性报告称工作方面的挣扎更大。尽管如此，参与者的癌症经历呈现出一系列应对策略，包括重新构建认知和寻求掌控，并有坚持、恢复力和希望的体现。本文还讨论了该研究对研究和实践的启示。
