Uniwersyteckie Czasopisma NaukoweMotivation of cancer patients to help others and the relation between posttraumatic growth and helping
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5114/cipp.2019.86231Słowa kluczowe:
cancer patients, coping with trauma, posttraumatic growth, prosocial behaviourAbstrakt
Background
Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is related to positive psychological changes following people’s struggle with trauma. The PTG model suggests that one of its possible consequences may be higher motivation towards helping behaviours. The aim of the research was to explore the influence of cancer illness on the motivation to help others, as perceived by participants, and the mechanisms behind such behaviour.
Participants and procedure
Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to explore the main motives to help others among cancer patients. The study also investigated the relation of perceived growth (PTG) and the frequency of providing help. Female cancer patients (n = 100) completed a Polish version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and a questionnaire measuring frequency of providing help to-wards ill and healthy individuals. Some of the subjects (n = 29) were also interviewed to assess the main perceived motives to help others.
Results
Positive rho Spearman correlations between PTG and the frequency of help given towards ill individuals and healthy ones were found. Based on thematic analysis four motives of helping were identified: empathy, self-enhancement, internalized standards of behaviour, searching for the sense of life.
Conclusions
This findings highlight the positive association between cancer patients’ involvement in helping other cancer patients and posi-tive life changes after experience of cancer.
Downloads
Bibliografia
Arman, M., & Backman, M. (2007). A longitudinal study on women’s experiences of life with breast cancer in anthroposophical (complementary) and conventional care. European Journal of Cancer Care, 16, 444–450.
Arman, M., & Rehnsfeldt, A. (2002). Living with breast cancer – a challenge to expansive and creative forces. European Journal of Cancer Care, 11, 290–296.
Baker, J., Kelly, C., Calhoun, L., Cann, A., & Tedeschi, R. (2008). An examination of posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic depreciation: Two exploratory studies. Journal of Loss & Trauma, 13, 450–465. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325020802171367.
Batson, C. D., & Shaw, L. L. (1991). Evidence for altruism: Toward a pluralism of prosocial motives. Psychological Inquiry, 2, 107–122. https://doi.org/ 10.1207/s15327965pli0202_1.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
Calhoun, L. G., & Tedeschi, R. G. (2006). The foundations of posttraumatic growth: An expanded framework. In L. G. Calhoun & R. G. Tedeschi (Eds.), Handbook of posttraumatic growth: research and practice (pp. 17–37). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Calhoun, L. G., & Tedeschi, R. G. (2013). Posttraumatic growth in clinical practice. New York: Routledge/ Taylor & Francis Group.
Cann, A., Calhoun, L., Tedeschi, R., & Solomon, D. (2010). Posttraumatic growth and depreciation as independent experiences and predictors of well-being. Journal of Loss & Trauma, 15, 151–166. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325020903375826.
Casellas-Grau, A., Ochoa, C., & Ruini, C. (2017). Psychological and clinical correlates of posttraumatic growth in cancer: A systematic and critical review. Psycho-Oncology, 26, 2007–2018. https://doi. org/10.1002/pon.4426.
Chorzela, M. (2013). Doświadczenie choroby nowotworowej jako źródło pozytywnych zmian osobowości [Malignant disease experience as a source of positive changes in personality]. Psychoonkologia, 1, 23–31.
Cohen, M., & Numa, M. (2011). Posttraumatic growth in breast cancer survivors: a comparison of volunteers and non-volunteers. Psycho-Oncology, 20, 69–76. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1709.
Cordova, M. J. (2008). Facilitating posttraumatic growth following cancer. In S. Joseph & P. A. Linley (Eds.), Trauma, recovery, and growth (pp. 185–206). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Cordova, M. J., Riba, M. B., & Spiegel, D. (2017). Posttraumatic stress disorder and cancer. Lancet Psychiatry, 4, 330–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215- 0366(17)30014-7.
Coward, D. D., & Kahn, R. N. (2005). Transcending breast cancer. Making meaning from diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 20, 264–283. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898010105277649.
Frazier, P., Greer, C., Gabrielsen, S., Tennen, H., Park, C., & Tomich, P. (2013). The relation between trauma exposure and prosocial behaviour. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 5, 286–294. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027255.
Hefferon, K., Grealy, M., & Mutrie, N. (2009). Posttraumatic growth and life threatening physical illness: A systematic review of the qualitative literature. British Journal of Health Psychology, 14, 343–378. https://doi.org/10.1348/135910708X332936.
Janoff-Bulman, R. (2006). Schema-change perspectives on posttraumatic growth. In L. G. Calhoun & R. G. Tedeschi (Eds.), Handbook of posttraumatic growth: research and practice (pp. 81–100). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Kroemeke, A., Bargiel-Matusiewicz, K., & Kalamarz, M. (2017). Mixed psychological changes following mastectomy: Unique predictors and heterogeneity of post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic depreciation. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1245. https://doi. org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01245.
Markus, H. R., & Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychological Review, 98, 224–253. https:// doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.98.2.224.
Morris, B. A, Shakespeare-Finch, J., & Scott, J. L. (2012). Post-traumatic growth after cancer: the importance of health-related benefits and newfound compassion for others. Support Care Cancer, 20, 749–756. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1143-7.
Ogińska-Bulik, N., & Juczyński, Z. (2010). Potraumatyczny rozwój – charakterystyka i pomiar [Posttraumatic growth – characteristic]. Psychiatria, 7, 129–142.
Park, C. L. (2009). Overview of theoretical perspectives. In C. L. Park, S. C. Lechner, M. H. Antoni, & A. L. Stanton (Eds.), Medical illness and positive life change (pp. 11–31). Washington, DC: APA.
Ruini, C., & Vescovelli, F. (2013). The role of gratitude in breast cancer: Its relationships with posttraumatic growth, psychological well-being and distress. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14, 263–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9330-x.
Schaefer, J. A., & Moos, R. H. (2008). The context for posttraumatic growth: life crises, individual and social resources, and coping. In R. G. Tedeschi, C. L. Park, & L. G. Calhoun (Eds.), Posttraumatic growth: Positive changes in aftermath of crisis (pp. 99–125). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Shakespeare-Finch, J., & de Dassel, T. (2009). Exploring posttraumatic outcomes as a function of childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 18, 623–640. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538710903317224.
Shand, L. K., Cowlishaw, S., Brooker, J. E., Burney, S., & Ricciardelli, L. A. (2015). Correlates of post-traumatic stress symptoms and growth in cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psycho-Oncology, 24, 624–634. https://doi.org/10.1002/ pon.3719.
Stanton, A. L., Bower, J. E., & Low, C. A. (2006). Posttraumatic growth in cancer. In G. Calhoun & R. G. Tedeschi (Eds.), Handbook of posttraumatic growth: research and practice (pp. 138–176). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Sumalla, E. C., Ochoa, C., & Blanco, I. (2009). Posttraumatic growth in cancer: Reality or illusion? Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 24–33. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.cpr.2008.09.006.
Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (1996). The posttraumatic growth inventory: Measuring the positive legacy of trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9, 455–471. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.2490090305.
Tedeschi, R. G., Shakespeare-Finch, J., Taku, K., & Calhoun, L. G. (2018). Posttraumatic Growth: Theory, Research, and Applications. New York: Routledge.
Tedeschi, R. G., Park, C., & Calhoun, L. (1998). Posttraumatic growth: conceptual issues. In R. G. Tedeschi, C. R. Park, & L. G. Calhoun (Eds.), Posttraumatic growth: Positive changes in the aftermath of crisis (pp. 1–22). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Vollhardt, J. R. (2009). Altruism born of suffering and prosocial behaviour following adverse life events: A review and conceptualization. Social Justice Research, 22, 53–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-009-0088-1.
Zięba, M., Wiecheć, K., Biegańska-Banaś, J., & Mieleszczenko-Kowszewicz, W. (2019). Coexistence of posttraumatic growth and post-traumatic depreciation in the aftermath of trauma: Qualitative and quantitative narrative analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 687. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00687.
Zoellner, T., & Maercker, A. (2006). Posttraumatic growth in clinical psychology – a critical review and introduction of a two component model. Clinical Psychology Review, 26, 626–653. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.cpr.2006.01.008.
