The resilience process in family caregivers of people with malignant neoplasia

Lucimar Aparecida Dos Santos,Edilene Aparecida Araújo Da Silveira,Deborah Franscielle Da Fonseca,Elaine Cristina Rodrigues Gesteira,Patrícia Peres De Oliveira,Andrea Bezerra Rodrigues

doi:10.1590/2177-9465-ean-2019-0023

Lucimar Aparecida Dos Santos, Edilene Aparecida Araújo Da Silveira + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-9465-ean-2019-0023

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To unveil the resilience process in family caregivers of people with malignant neoplasia. Method: Descriptive and qualitative research performed between September and November of 2017 in a Brazilian Unit of High Complexity Care in Oncology. Individual interviews and four focus groups were conducted with 29 family caregivers. Socio-constructivist methodology was used under Vygotsky's perspective, the theoretical framework of the construction of the resilience processes, besides the hybrid model of thematic analysis. Results: Three thematic categories emerged: "feelings revealed through colors"; "practice of care and communication in the process of resilience" and "faith and hope in the process of resilience". The family caregivers organized themselves to provide support to their family member with malignant neoplasia and they faced, in a more consolidated way, the overwhelming transformations imposed by the disease. Conclusion and implications for practice: The guidelines made by health professionals were paramount in the process of family caregivers' resilience, in addition to emotional support and spirituality. The communication with health professionals is essential in the coping of family caregivers when dealing with problems or conflicts, since there is better conduction in the process of illness of the loved one, when there is greater knowledge and understanding of the disease.

Highlights

The family structure consists of social and emotional relationships, and what unites a group of individuals as family, are the interpersonal relationships, with emotional, moral, ethical, and social support among their members, regardless of kinship relations.[1]
It should be pointed out that the family caregivers (FC), three times a week, three of the researchers of this study, being one a clinical psychologist, one a nurse Ph.D. in Psychiatric Nursing and another an oncology nurse, carried out group dynamics in the years 2017 and 2018 and, whenever necessary, individual care, in order to clarify the doubts of the family and patient, as well as help in coping with the difficulties experienced during hospitalization and in the execution of the care
The findings show that the FCs participants in this study planned themselves in order to provide support to their family member with malignant neoplasia and, facing, in a more strengthened way, the transformations imposed by the disease

Summary

Introduction

The family structure consists of social and emotional relationships, and what unites a group of individuals as family, are the interpersonal relationships, with emotional, moral, ethical, and social support among their members, regardless of kinship relations.[1] Frequently, it is not organized to deal with the illness of one of its members.[1,2] In the case of a diagnosis of malignant neoplasia, the effect on the patient and their family is often overwhelming, since it brings to the surface countless feelings, such as fear and anxiety.[1,3] In parallel, the treatment is complex, and causes various physical, psychological and social changes.[2]. It is stressed that family resilience strengthens the phenomenon of individual resilience, being a functional unit, it may or may not encourage resilience and vulnerability in all members.[9,10]

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