Posttraumatic growth, resilience, and quality of life among adolescent and young adult cancer patients, cancer survivors, and healthy individuals

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer differ from other age groups in cancer distribution, risk factors, prognosis, and survivability. This study examined posttraumatic growth (PTG), resilience, and quality of life (QoL) among AYA cancer patients, survivors, and healthy individuals with trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Demographic data were collected using a case record form. Standardized instruments employed in the study included the PTG Inventory, the Bharathiar University Resilience Scale, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief Version. A cross-sectional design was used. Participants included AYA cancer patients undergoing curative treatment ( N = 44), survivors on follow-up ( N = 52), and age- and gender-matched healthy individuals with a history of trauma ( N = 44). Quantitative data were analyzed using mean ± standard deviation. One-way analysis of variance with post hoc tests compared PTG, resilience, and QoL across AYA cancer patients, survivors, and healthy individuals. Pearson’s correlation assessed relationships among PTG, resilience, and QoL in the patient and survivor groups. RESULTS: Significant differences in PTG were found between AYA patients and survivors ( P = 0.0001) and between patients and healthy individuals ( P = 0.038). No significant differences were observed for resilience across the groups. Resilience and QoL were positively correlated in both AYA cancer patients and survivors. CONCLUSIONS: AYA cancer survivors demonstrated higher PTG compared to healthy trauma-exposed individuals and patients, suggesting that survivorship may foster greater personal growth. Although resilience did not differ significantly, it was consistently associated with better QoL.