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Resilience process in individuals with colorectal cancer: a qualitative study

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Abstract

Purpose

Resilience is a positive outcome in giving individuals strength to adapt to cancer and have better various aspects of health-related quality of life. However, research focusing on resilience in relation to colorectal cancer (CRC) is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the process of resilience in individuals with CRC.

Method

Sixteen individuals diagnosed with stage Ι to III CRC within the last five years were recruited from a CRC surgical outpatient department in a medical center in Northern Taiwan. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the resilience process of living with CRC. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and were analyzed using modified grounded theory.

Findings

Resilience is a dynamic three-phase process, including impact of CRC, adaptation or maladaptation following CRC, and growth from CRC experience. Resilience strategies (i.e., attitude adjustment, developing personal strategies to conquer CRC and side effects, setting new goals in life, and viewing death as a normal process), avoidance behaviors, and passive waiting strategy were shown across the resilience process.

Conclusions

All individuals showed negative impacts during CRC diagnosis and treatments, but some individuals used the resilience strategies in helping to promote positive adjustment and redirect to develop their resilience process. Furthermore, resilient and maladaptive individuals may change the situation depending on which strategies are used and on the progression of CRC because resilience is dynamic. Oncology clinicians should help individuals use resilience strategies to smoothly go through the resilience process.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the patients who participated in this study.

Funding

This study was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST 106–2314-B-002–012-MY3).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Yun-Jen Chou

  2. Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Yun-Jen Chou

  3. School on Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ya-Ching Wang

  4. School of Nursing, Institute of Clinical Nursing, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Li-Nong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan

    Shiow-Ching Shun

  5. Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Been-Ren Lin

  6. College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Been-Ren Lin

Authors
  1. Yun-Jen Chou
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  2. Ya-Ching Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shiow-Ching Shun.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the study site with number 201612224RIND.

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Chou, YJ., Wang, YC., Lin, BR. et al. Resilience process in individuals with colorectal cancer: a qualitative study. Qual Life Res 32, 681–690 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-022-03242-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-022-03242-8

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