1. Coping Styles of Female Adolescent Cancer Patients with Potential Fertility Loss
- Author
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Devin Murphy, Caprice Knapp, Kristen J. Wells, Vicky Phares, Gwendolyn P. Quinn, and Juliette Christie
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Coping (psychology) ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Debriefing ,Alternative medicine ,Fertility ,Cognition ,Original Articles ,Oncology ,Survivorship curve ,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health ,medicine ,Young adult ,Psychology ,Qualitative research ,media_common ,Clinical psychology - Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess the coping styles of female adolescent cancer patients regarding potential loss of fertility. Expectations and desires for the future, coping styles in typical adolescence, and coping styles when faced with potential loss of fertility due to cancer treatment are discussed.Female adolescents diagnosed with cancer aged 12-18 years at study (All adolescent participants reported having a strong desire for biological children in the future. Reactions to questions regarding the loss of fertility fell into two categories of coping styles: emotion-focused coping or problem-focused (engagement) coping. Within emotion-focused coping, there were three distinct styles: externalizing attribution style, internalizing attribution style, and repressive adaptation. Problem-focused coping adolescents displayed optimism.Successful interventions aimed at promoting adaptive coping styles should seek to uncover adolescents' values about future parenthood and reproduction. Development of an age-appropriate assessment to stimulate dialogue regarding fertility and initiate an adolescent's cognitive processing of potential fertility loss is warranted.
- Published
- 2013
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