Abstract
Background: The diagnosis of cancer in adolescence is a significant challenge, particularly because of the developmental expectations of this life-stage, regarding autonomy and identity formation. Adolescents must assimilate cancer into their normative identity work.
Objective: The objective was to explore and describe themes common to adolescents with cancer.
Methods: A longitudinal qualitative descriptive design was used. Participants were interviewed up to 4 times during the first year after diagnosis, and inductive content analysis was used.
Results: Fifteen adolescents participated. The most salient themes over time related to the development of adolescent identity, cancer identity, and integration of the two into an adolescent with cancer identity.
Conclusions: This research demonstrates the active role that adolescents with cancer take in constructing their identities both around their cancer and separate of it. Further research is needed to more fully delineate this process, but this research provides a framework for next steps.
Implications for Practice: Understanding this process allows practitioners to provide anticipatory guidance for adolescents experiencing cancer, understanding their need for peer support (peers with cancer and without) as well as the need to normalize the cancer experience to the greatest extent possible.