Posttraumatic Growth, Coping Strategies, and Psychological Distress in Adolescent Survivors of Cancer

Abstract

Only recently have researchers begun to empirically examine positive outcomes such as posttraumatic growth in adolescent cancer. This article examines associations between posttraumatic growth, coping strategies, and psychological distress in adolescent cancer survivors. Adolescents who finished cancer treatment 2 to 10 years prior (N = 31) completed self-report measures of posttraumatic growth, coping, symptomatology, and disease-related characteristics. Younger age at diagnosis and less use of avoidant coping strategies predicted lower levels of psychological distress. Adolescents’ beliefs that they were more likely to relapse and the use of more acceptance coping strategies predicted higher levels of posttraumatic growth. Adolescent cancer survivors may be capable of experiencing posttraumatic growth. Those who believe they are more prone to relapse and use more acceptance coping strategies are likely to have higher levels of posttraumatic growth. As health care professionals encourage adolescent cancer survivors to use fewer avoidant coping strategies, they can also encourage survivors to use more acceptance coping strategies.