Supporting cancer patients and their relatives through storytelling

Background: Fear and worry following a cancer diagnosis are among the main concerns of patients and their relatives. Prior research on psychosocial support for cancer-related fear and worry rarely address how patients and... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
Fear and worry following a cancer diagnosis are among the main concerns of patients and their relatives. Prior research on psychosocial support for cancer-related fear and worry rarely address how patients and relatives can be supported together. The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate the use of storytelling combined with activity workshops as psychosocial support in a residential cancer rehabilitation intervention for the patients and their relatives.
Method:
10 pairs participated in a residential cancer rehabilitation intervention program. Data was generated data through ethnographic fieldwork and analyzed by use of narrative and social-practice theory.
Results:
The results demonstrate that the combination of illustrative storytelling with a central metaphor as an imaginary social other and activity workshops served as a means for 1) dealing with fear and worry, and 2) taking agency which turned out to be useful for the cancer patients and their relatives in their pursuits to address some of the concerns that accompany a cancer trajectory.
Conclusion:
The narrative format of storytelling provided the pairs in this study with strategies to manage cancer-related fear and worry.
Application to Practice:
The study results may be useful for other professionals in clinical practice in order to implement storytelling and activities as literal strategies.