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Perceiving Benefits in the Cancer Experience

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Abstract

The potential for benefits to be construed under stressful circumstances has become a topic of interest for researchers studying psychological reactions to adversity. This paper examines benefit-construal following one such stressful event—cancer. A simple framework is presented to organize qualitative and quantitative data from various literatures, including psychology, nursing, oncology, and social work, into 3 areas in which cancer survivors frequently report deriving benefits: life perspective, interpersonal relationships, and the self. This typology helps to clarify the extent and nature of benefit-finding in cancer survivors and provides directions for future research.

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Thornton, A.A. Perceiving Benefits in the Cancer Experience. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings 9, 153–165 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014996127535

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