Breast Cancer Survivors' Contribution to Psychosocial Adjustment of Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients in a Computer-Mediated Social Support Group. (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Moon, Tae-Joon; Chih, Ming-Yuan; Shah, Dhavan V.; Yoo, Woohyun; Gustafson, David H.
• Is Part Of: Journalism & mass communication quarterly. Volume 94:Number 2(2017:Jun.)
• Page Start: 486
• Page End: 514
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: breast cancer survivor -- social support -- CMSS groups -- psychosocial adjustment; Journalism -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Periodicals; Communication -- Periodicals; Journalism -- United States -- Periodicals; Journalism -- Bibliography -- Periodicals; 070
• DOI: 10.1177/1077699016687724
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-6990

Abstract

This study investigated the role of breast cancer survivors in a computer-mediated social support (CMSS) group for women with breast cancer. Applying a computer-aided content analytic method, the present study examined the differences in support provision between survivors and newly diagnosed patients. This study further investigated the impacts of survivor-provided social support on psychosocial adjustment of newly diagnosed patients. The results revealed that, compared with newly diagnosed patients, breast cancer survivors provided more emotional and informational support. Receiving emotional support from survivors contributed to an improvement in the quality of life and the depression of patients. The effects of survivor-provided informational support were not significant.