Strengths, Outcomes, Adversity, & Resilience of College-Aged Childhood Cancer Survivors
Open Access
- Author:
- Nolte, Nikolette
- Area of Honors:
- Biobehavioral Health
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Laura Cousino Klein, Thesis Supervisor
Lori Anne Francis, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- childhood cancer survivor
resilience
anxiety
depression
first-generation
binge-alcohol drinking - Abstract:
- A cancer diagnosis can change the life of an individual forever, especially when the diagnosis occurs during childhood. There is no cure for cancer, making this disease the second leading cause of death for children between the ages of 1-14 years (American Cancer Society, 2022). Yet, for those who survive, a fulfilling future is still possible with many survivors focusing on goal-setting and personal growth to help support them through treatment (Durosini et al., 2021). Many childhood cancer survivors set a goal of attending college yet little is known about their college experiences, challenges and successes. This thesis explored life after cancer for college-aged childhood cancer survivors (CCS) as research is limited in this area. Six hundred and twenty-four (N=314 CCS; N=310 non-CCS) 18 to 23-year-old college students who attended a 4-year university in the United States completed a confidential online survey. Health outcomes included body mass index (BMI), depression, anxiety, perceived stress, binge alcohol drinking and sleep quality, as well as biobehavioral characteristics of resilience, grit, and self-compassion. It was predicated that CCS college students would report higher levels of resilience, grit, and self-compassion as well as depression, anxiety, and perceived stress symptoms compared to their peers who did not have childhood cancer. It was also predicted that CCS students would engage in healthier behaviors that would lead to higher grade point average (GPA), lower BMI, better sleep quality, and lower rates of binge drinking compared to their peers. Results indicate that college-aged CCS were less resilient, displayed less grit, but were more self-compassionate compared to their counterparts (p’s<0.05). Additionally, CCS students reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, and perceived stress compared to their peers (p’s<0.001). Finally, CCS students displayed a lower average body mass index (BMI), better sleep quality, lower grade point average (GPA), and increased binge drinking habits compared to their peers (p’s<0.001). Surprisingly, first-generation students were over-represented by CCS status (83%) compared to their peers (16%). This surprising finding led to deeper analysis of the data to reveal that first-generation status CCS students are particularly languishing in their 4-year college experience with significantly higher reports of depression, anxiety, stress, binge alcohol drinking, and lower reports of resilience and grit (p’s<0.001). These results fill the gap in literature regarding the strengths, outcomes, adversity, and resilience of college aged childhood cancer survivors. College students who have experienced a traumatic event during their childhood, such as cancer, experience greater difficulties regarding mental health and academic performance but show greater self-compassion. Furthermore, these college students who are not only cancer survivors, but also first-generation students experience twice the burden in their daily lives. The results from this study show an interaction between the experience of childhood cancer, a known traumatic childhood event, negatively impacting the ability to adapt to college life. This undergraduate thesis adds to the literature examining the experiences of college aged students who have and have not experienced a childhood cancer diagnosis and emphasizes the importance of exploring biobehavioral interventions to support students in their adjustment to college life.