The Resilience in Illness Model, Part 1

Abstract

Background Resilience is a positive health outcome identified by the Committee on Future Direction for Behavioral and Social Sciences as a research priority for the National Institutes of Health. The Resilience in Illness Model (RIM) was developed from a series of qualitative and quantitative studies, to increase understanding of how positive health protective factors (i.e. social integration, family environment, courageous coping and derived meaning) may influence resilience outcomes. The RIM also includes two risk factors, illness-related distress and defensive coping. Objective The purpose of this two-part paper is to report on evaluation of the RIM for adolescents/young adults with cancer (AYA). Here, in Part 1, our purpose is to describe the exploratory RIM evaluation and in Part 2 we describe the confirmatory RIM evaluation. Methods An exploratory evaluation of RIM was done using exploratory latent variable structural equation modeling with a combined sample from two studies of pre-adolescents, and AYA with cancer ages 10 -26 years (n=202). Results Results, including goodness-of-fit indices, support the RIM as a theory with a high level of explained variance for outcomes of resilience (67%) and self-transcendence (63%). Variance explained for proximal outcomes ranged from 18% to 76%. Conclusions Findings indicate that, following confirmatory testing, the RIM may be a useful guide to developing targeted interventions that are grounded in the experiences of the AYA. Implications for Practice Increased understanding of the AYA cancer experience to improve holistic care.

Resilience and Associated Factors among Mainland Chinese Women Newly Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

“…Our result indicated positive correlation of resilience with hope, and it is in accordance with previous study findings [17, 40]. A longitudinal study conducted by Ho et al [17] found hopefulness may predict resilience after hereditary colorectal cancer genetic testing in Hong Kong Chinese.…”

“…A longitudinal study conducted by Ho et al [17] found hopefulness may predict resilience after hereditary colorectal cancer genetic testing in Hong Kong Chinese. Solano [41] and Haase [40] respectively carried out a cross-sectional study and found positive correlation of resilience with hope among metastatic colorectal cancer patients and adolescent/young adults with cancer. Hope is an inner power energized in the face of adversity, which could enable patients to establish positive and realistic goals, and mobilize resources to positively manage the physical and psychological challenges.…”

Connecting with healthcare providers at diagnosis: adolescent/young adult cancer survivors’ perspectives

“…HCPs can have a profound impact on how patients cope with their diagnosis. A theoretical model that demonstrates the potential impact that HCPs have on AYA patients is the Resilience in Illness Model (formerly called the Adolescent Resilience Model) (Haase, 2004; Haase, Kintner, Monahan, & Robb, 2014). In this model, the nature of the AYA–HCP relationship is a protective factor and considered to have an influence on moving AYAs away from the use to defensive coping strategies and towards courageous coping strategies.…”

Resilience, Positive Coping, and Quality of Life Among Women Newly Diagnosed With Gynecological Cancers

“…Some investigators evaluate the associations between resilience and coping in a different way by proposing that certain coping strategies contribute to greater resilience. 50 Longitudinal research is needed to shed light on the causal ordering. Second, the acceptance rate of 25.6% is relatively low and may have resulted in a biased sample.…”