Effects of surviving cancer in childhood on young people’s social interactions
Why you should read this article:
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To recognise the psychological issues that children who have survived cancer may experience in later life
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To understand how experiencing cancer in childhood might affect adolescents’ and young adults’ self-esteem, social development and relationships
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To learn about a model that was developed to support family-centred care and childhood cancer survivors’ transition from hospital to community care
Survival rates for children with cancer continue to improve, so it is important to investigate the long-term effects of the disease that survivors may experience. The social interactions of children with cancer are often limited during a critical period of their social development; therefore, it may be beneficial to understand the potential consequences that this could subsequently have during their adolescence.
This article details an integrative literature review that explored the effects of being a survivor of cancer, diagnosed under the age of 18 years, on the social interactions of adolescents and young adults. Thematic analysis generated two overarching themes: evolving sense of self-esteem and evolving perspectives of relationships. The article discusses these themes and proposes an extended partnership model to support family-centred care, which acknowledges children’s developmental need for social interaction.
