“It’s Hard, but We Could Kind of Laugh About It”: Exploring the Role of Humor in Brain Cancer Caregiving

Heinsch, Milena; Cootes, Hannah; Wells, Hannah; Tickner, Campbell; Sampson, Dara; Kay‐Lambkin, Frances

doi:10.1177/10497323211069339

Cited by 2 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…This finding is consistent with ambiguous loss [36]; the person using methamphetamine was physically present, but their family and friends either felt psychologically estranged from the person or had made a conscious choice to separate the former relationship from the current one. The experiences of loss described by participants are similar to those reported in the broader caregiving literature, which highlights the loss of identity [54,55] and sense of grief caregivers can experience when integral and unique aspects of their connection with their loved one are lost [56,57]. These findings affirm the importance of providing support and assistance to family members and friends in their own right, and not solely to the person using methamphetamine [14].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

‘I no longer know that person’: Experiences of families living with someone using crystal methamphetamine

et al. 2023

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Background Crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’) use is a large and growing worldwide problem, yet few research studies have explored the impact of crystal methamphetamine use on affected friends and family members. We explored the experiences and narratives of family members and friends of people who use methamphetamine to inform the development of a Family and Friend Support Program. Methods This paper reports on a subset of findings from a mixed method study, which sought to better understand the experiences of family members and friends of people who use methamphetamine. Participants were recruited via Facebook advertising and asked to complete a survey outlining their experiences. At the end of the survey, participants were invited to be interviewed by a clinical psychologist on the research team, to discuss their experiences in greater depth; seventeen people agreed to be interviewed. This paper is based on a qualitative thematic analysis of these interviews using Braun and Clarke’s 6-stage approach to identify key areas of concern for friends and family members of people who use methamphetamine. Results Through thematic analysis, five key themes were developed, namely: (1) loss, (2) stigma, (3) support (or lack thereof), (4) ways of coping, and (5) the value in sharing personal experiences. The results of this study revealed the profound sadness, frustration and loss friends and family members experienced when caring for a loved one who uses methamphetamine. This loss was further complicated by societal stigma surrounding the use of methamphetamine, which often extended to friends and family members themselves. Since experiences of grief and loss were interwoven across the three themes, concepts of ambiguous loss, disenfranchised grief, and narrative constructivist approaches to understanding loss, were applied to the discussion of results. Conclusion This study provides a more complete picture of family and caregiver experiences when caring for a loved one using methamphetamine, which may further help inform the design of intervention programs. Implications for future research and practice with this population are considered.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

‘I no longer know that person’: Experiences of families living with someone using crystal methamphetamine

et al. 2023

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“…Instead, 3 studies recently reported the use of humor observed among the family caregivers of cancer patients and palliative care patients. For the caregivers of patients experiencing a brain tumor, humor was an expression of mutual connection and understanding and a way of managing difficult or awkward moments 15 . Terrill et al 37 reported that humor was a common type of positive emotional communication among palliative care patients, family caregivers, and hospice nurses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Family caregivers often assume the primary responsibility for the patient’s physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional care and have a relevant impact on the patient’s well-being and quality of life. However, at the same time, they are also affected by the patient’s disease 15–17 . Family caregivers have a disproportionately high level of burden based on the number and complexity of the tasks they manage, as well as the amount of time they provide care 18 .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Thus, having resources or providing interventions to support family caregivers is required. Studies have reported that humor had the potential to enhance the capacity of family caregivers to cope with their loved one’s illness trajectory 15 . Existing studies have highlighted the role of humor in promoting family caregivers’ coping and emotional relief; facilitating positive reframing; counteracting the feelings of frustration, fear, and uncertainty; and mitigating discomfort or embarrassment 15 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies have reported that humor had the potential to enhance the capacity of family caregivers to cope with their loved one’s illness trajectory 15 . Existing studies have highlighted the role of humor in promoting family caregivers’ coping and emotional relief; facilitating positive reframing; counteracting the feelings of frustration, fear, and uncertainty; and mitigating discomfort or embarrassment 15 . However, although humor has been identified as an important strength that can enhance the capacity of family caregivers to cope with palliative care circumstances, the use of humor or laughter in palliative care settings is still limited 6,15 …”

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confidence: 99%

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Effect of Laughter Therapy on Mood Disturbances, Pain, and Burnout in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients and Family Caregivers

2022

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Background: Humor has been commonly used in palliative care and identified as a coping strategy of palliative care patients and family caregivers. However, the use of humor or laughter in palliative care settings is still limited. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of laughter therapy involving spontaneous laughter on mood disturbances and pain in terminally ill patients with cancer and mood disturbances and the levels of burnout in family caregivers. Methods: This quasi-experimental study used a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The laughter therapy developed was provided for 20 to 30 minutes a day for 5 consecutive days. Twenty-six pairs of terminally ill cancer patients and family caregivers in the intervention group and 23 pairs in the comparison group from the hospice ward of a tertiary teaching hospital participated in this study. The data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance.Results: There were significant decreases in mood disturbances in the patients ( P < .001) and family caregivers ( P < .001), pain in the patients ( P < .001), and levels of burnout in the caregivers ( P < .001) in the intervention group. Conclusion: Laughter therapy can be an alternative intervention to support both terminally ill patients with cancer and their family caregivers experiencing multidimensional distress in palliative care settings. Implications for Practice: The appropriate use of laughter or humor

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“It’s Hard, but We Could Kind of Laugh About It”: Exploring the Role of Humor in Brain Cancer Caregiving

Cited by 2 publications

References 48 publications

‘I no longer know that person’: Experiences of families living with someone using crystal methamphetamine

‘I no longer know that person’: Experiences of families living with someone using crystal methamphetamine

Effect of Laughter Therapy on Mood Disturbances, Pain, and Burnout in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients and Family Caregivers

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