Perceptions of death, grief and loss in adolescents experiencing non-terminal maternal cancer: a secondary qualitative data analysis
Leonor Rodriguez, Chloe Fyfe, Ashley WrightPurpose
A diagnosis of parental cancer, even if not terminal, can have a significant and adverse impact on adolescents' lives marked by significant non-death related loss. Research identified that adolescents experiencing parental cancer terminal and non-terminal both exhibited similar levels of depression and anxiety. The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions and experiences of death and loss in adolescents dealing with non-terminal maternal cancer to inform targeted interventions and supports.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative secondary thematic analysis was carried out with 15 interviews of adolescents between 14 and 20 years. Their mothers had been diagnosed with cancer. The analysis yielded 4 overarching themes.
Findings
The analysis yielded four overarching themes: life would never be the same, the emotional challenges of maternal diagnosis, the systemic change in adolescents' lives and the symbolic loss of maternal cancer. These themes convey the loss of adolescents in such a way that life was changed forever. Maternal cancer has a profound effect on loss and grief in adolescents, even if cancer was non-terminal. These experiences of grief and loss must be validated and appropriate supports provided.
Originality/value
The commonalities between non-bereavement and bereavement loss are poorly understood in the current body of research (Papa et al., 2014). Several terms have been coined in the literature to refer to non-death related loss and grief, which is often not recognised or validated (For example, non-bereavement loss, disenfranchised loss and ambiguous loss). In response to this gap in the current research, this study explored the experience of loss in adolescents whose mothers were diagnosed with non-terminal cancer.