Psychosocial Issues of the Adolescent Cancer Patient and the Development of the Teenage Outreach Program (TOP)

Abstract

For young people with cancer their process through adolescence is marked with disruption. The demands of treatment and resulting social isolation combined with issues of body image/self-esteem complicate this turbulent life cycle transition. The effects of'these disruptions require psychosocial staff to utilize creative approaches to treatment. The framework of the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) is to connect teens with leukemia/lymphoma to one another, and to reconnect them back with their peers by engaging them in "normal" events. The overwhelming response highlights the positive effect on teenagers' psychosocial health, thereby solidifying the importance of providing innovative therapeutic interventions for this under-serviced population. Further studies of the long-term impact of the program's success are warranted.

"I'm Not Like My Friends"

“…In another example, Aamodt et al found that some young pediatric patients equated losing hair with losing friends [1]. Teenagers with a chronic illness can be especially susceptible to feeling the need to fit in with their peers [20]. Larouche and Chin-Peuckert interviewed 5 teenage cancer patients where all interviewees stated that they would do as much as they could to try and minimize their physical changes and to dress as "normally" as possible [13].…”

To foster healing among adolescents and young adults with cancer: What helps? What hurts?

“…While cancer diagnosed at any age represents a major stressor, adolescents and young adults (AYA) face unique challenges due to the intersection of the cancer experience with developmentally normative tasks of this period [2][3][4][5][6]. During the critical developmental transition from childhood to adulthood, individuals have normative concerns with establishing identity, developing a positive body image and sexual identity, separating from parents, increasing involvement with peers and dating, and beginning to make decisions about future goals such as career, higher education, and/or family [7,8].…”

“…During the critical developmental transition from childhood to adulthood, individuals have normative concerns with establishing identity, developing a positive body image and sexual identity, separating from parents, increasing involvement with peers and dating, and beginning to make decisions about future goals such as career, higher education, and/or family [7,8]. A premature confrontation with mortality, changes in physical appearance, increased dependence on parents, disruptions of social life and school/employment due to treatment, loss of reproductive capacity, and health-related concerns about the future may be particularly distressing for AYAs with cancer [2,3,6,9], thus requiring age-and developmentally appropriate support and care.…”

Music’s relevance for adolescents and young adults with cancer: a constructivist research approach

“…Music often helped participants to integrate the rare, intrusive, and harsh effects of cancer into their adjusting identity, including as a reformed band member, or to accompany exercise when trying to regain a fit and normal life. AYAs' quest for a "normal" life [10] was also evident in the finding that a flexible and "friendly" music therapist can provide "non-stigmatizing" support for AYA which promotes AYAs' creativity, abilities, normality, and fun.…”

“…Adolescents experienced support, fun, reduced isolation, comfort, and connectedness when sharing "normal" activities in groups with peers [10]. Music is recommended in all adolescent and young adult cancer services [1], however, there is scant examination of its potential role.…”