Adolescents with Cancer

Abstract

This study compared 48 adolescents with cancer and a contrast group of 40 healthy adolescents on two indexes of adjustment, self-image, and perceived social support. Overal4 the findings suggested that adolescents with cancer were relatively well-adjusted, although they exhibited, in comparison to healthy adolescents, a less positive self-image in terms of their social and sexual self Several differences were found when the relationship between stressors appraised as most difficult to deal with and perceived social support was examined. Adolescents with cancer dealing with stressors related to family and interpersonal relationships perceived relatively higher levels of social support than did healthy adolescents. In contrast, healthy adolescents perceived greater levels of social support than did adolescents with cancer when stressors related to external demands were identified as most difficult to manage. These results support the importance of considering the relationship between situations appraised as stressful and the process of adjustment to cancer for adolescents.