Stuck between youth and family life: an identification of adolescents' experiences during their mother's breast cancer trajectory

Anne Katrine Søby

Abstract

BACKGROUND-AIM: Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among women. The acute crisis and uncertainty that follow diagnosis put the family at risk of exhaustion and dysfunction. Adolescents have been identified as a particularly vulnerable group of relatives. To investigate how to prevent distress in this group, we systematically reviewed research on adolescents’ (11-21 years) needs for information and psycho-social support during their mothers’ breast
cancer trajectory.
METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted in five bibliometric databases. Peer-reviewed, original research was included. Two researchers conducted screening, quality assessment, and data extraction independently. Thematic synthesis was applied to the included studies.
RESULTS: A total of 7,291 studies were screened, and five quantitative and five qualitative studies were included. The themes conducted in the thematic synthesis of the qualitative studies were: 1) Psychosocial support to address feelings, 2) The role of the family surrounding the adolescent, and 3) Appreciation of open sources of information. Adolescents’ needs for information and psycho-social support were poorly met. Many were reluctant to share feelings and experienced abandonment during the crisis. Adolescents not informed experienced distress. Poor family functioning increased adolescents’ distress.
CONCLUSIONS: Encounter groups may support adolescents during their mother’s breast cancer trajectory. Supporting parents to inform and support family members will indirectly support adolescents. Adolescents from families with poor functioning need extra attention.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Publikationsdato	31. aug. 2023
Antal sider	1
Status	Udgivet - 31. aug. 2023
Begivenhed	24th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology - University of Milan, Milan, Italien Varighed: 31. aug. 2023 → 3. sep. 2023 Konferencens nummer: 24 https://www.ipos2023.org/

Konference

Konference	24th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology
Nummer	24
Lokation	University of Milan
Land/Område	Italien
By	Milan
Periode	31/08/2023 → 03/09/2023
Internetadresse	https://www.ipos2023.org/

Stuck between youth and family life – an identification of adolescents’ experiences and needs during their mother’s breast cancer trajectory
Søby, A. K. (Underviser)
3. sep. 2023
Aktivitet: Foredrag og mundtlige bidrag › Konferenceoplæg

Citationsformater

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title = "Stuck between youth and family life: an identification of adolescents' experiences during their mother's breast cancer trajectory ",

abstract = "BACKGROUND-AIMBreast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among women. The acute crisis and uncertainty that often follow diagnosis put the family at risk of exhaustion and dysfunction. Adolescents have been identified as a particularly vulnerable group of relatives. However, our knowledge is sparse on the adolescents{\textquoteright} experiences of their mother{\textquoteright}s breast cancer trajectory and how they can be supported. As a part of a bigger project aimed to uncover adolescents{\textquoteright} experiences and needs during their mothers{\textquoteright} breast cancer trajectory adolescents{\textquoteright} experiences in the initial stage of their mother{\textquoteright}s breast cancer trajectory were explored.METHODSIndividual semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine adolescents (aged 14-18) close to their mother{\textquoteright}s diagnosis of breast cancer during the COVID-19 lockdown in Denmark. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed interviews.RESULTSThree themes were identified: 1) From secrecy to shock, 2) sacrificing social life for the survival of mum, and 3) attempts to calm down shut down communication. Adolescents request to be involved and informed about their mother{\textquoteright}s breast cancer trajectory. However, they are reluctant with asking and sharing worries with their parents and peers – especially if they are met by parents with {\textquoteleft}don{\textquoteright}t worry about it{\textquoteright}, resulting in experiencing abandonment in the crisis. Putting feelings into words in a safe environment is experienced as relieving.CONCLUSIONParents should be supported to inform and support their adolescent children. The establishment of safe environments for adolescents to share experiences is encouraged.",

author = "S{\o}by, {Anne Katrine}",

year = "2023",

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day = "31",

language = "English",

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TY - ABST

T1 - Stuck between youth and family life

T2 - 24th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology

AU - Søby, Anne Katrine

N1 - Conference code: 24

PY - 2023/8/31

Y1 - 2023/8/31

N2 - BACKGROUND-AIMBreast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among women. The acute crisis and uncertainty that often follow diagnosis put the family at risk of exhaustion and dysfunction. Adolescents have been identified as a particularly vulnerable group of relatives. However, our knowledge is sparse on the adolescents’ experiences of their mother’s breast cancer trajectory and how they can be supported. As a part of a bigger project aimed to uncover adolescents’ experiences and needs during their mothers’ breast cancer trajectory adolescents’ experiences in the initial stage of their mother’s breast cancer trajectory were explored.METHODSIndividual semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine adolescents (aged 14-18) close to their mother’s diagnosis of breast cancer during the COVID-19 lockdown in Denmark. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed interviews.RESULTSThree themes were identified: 1) From secrecy to shock, 2) sacrificing social life for the survival of mum, and 3) attempts to calm down shut down communication. Adolescents request to be involved and informed about their mother’s breast cancer trajectory. However, they are reluctant with asking and sharing worries with their parents and peers – especially if they are met by parents with ‘don’t worry about it’, resulting in experiencing abandonment in the crisis. Putting feelings into words in a safe environment is experienced as relieving.CONCLUSIONParents should be supported to inform and support their adolescent children. The establishment of safe environments for adolescents to share experiences is encouraged.

AB - BACKGROUND-AIMBreast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among women. The acute crisis and uncertainty that often follow diagnosis put the family at risk of exhaustion and dysfunction. Adolescents have been identified as a particularly vulnerable group of relatives. However, our knowledge is sparse on the adolescents’ experiences of their mother’s breast cancer trajectory and how they can be supported. As a part of a bigger project aimed to uncover adolescents’ experiences and needs during their mothers’ breast cancer trajectory adolescents’ experiences in the initial stage of their mother’s breast cancer trajectory were explored.METHODSIndividual semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine adolescents (aged 14-18) close to their mother’s diagnosis of breast cancer during the COVID-19 lockdown in Denmark. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed interviews.RESULTSThree themes were identified: 1) From secrecy to shock, 2) sacrificing social life for the survival of mum, and 3) attempts to calm down shut down communication. Adolescents request to be involved and informed about their mother’s breast cancer trajectory. However, they are reluctant with asking and sharing worries with their parents and peers – especially if they are met by parents with ‘don’t worry about it’, resulting in experiencing abandonment in the crisis. Putting feelings into words in a safe environment is experienced as relieving.CONCLUSIONParents should be supported to inform and support their adolescent children. The establishment of safe environments for adolescents to share experiences is encouraged.

M3 - Conference abstract for conference

Y2 - 31 August 2023 through 3 September 2023

ER -

Stuck between youth and family life: an identification of adolescents' experiences during their mother's breast cancer trajectory

Abstract

Konference

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Stuck between youth and family life – an identification of adolescents’ experiences and needs during their mother’s breast cancer trajectory

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