Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

John Astin

Abstract

AbstractCancer affects the lives of thousands of people every day and is a leading cause of death. Exercise has been shown to yield mental and physical benefits for patients and survivors, but the experiences of cancer patients who face a multiplicity of psychological stressors have not been clearly described. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the psychological factors that are associated with continuing to exercise after cancer diagnosis, during and/or following their treatment. The focus was on how cancer survivors maintained a regular routine of exercise while experiencing psychological distress associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment, and concerns about recurrence. The qualitative research design featured an in-depth interview process with semistructured interviews and open-ended questions. Interviews were analyzed using the thematic analysis outlined by Braun and Clarke. The health belief model, theory of reasoned action, and theory of planned behavior provided the foundation for the generation of interview questions and subsequent qualitative analysis. Thematic analysis of participant responses yielded five themes: (a) downside of not exercising, (b) benefits of exercising, (c) motivators to exercise, (d) impediments to exercise, and (e) attitudes towards exercise. The participants’ experiences highlighted the physiological and psychological stress of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, as well as the mental-emotional and motivational factors supporting their continuing to exercise. This knowledge could lead to positive social change for other cancer survivors who would like to adopt and maintain this health behavior as well as health care professionals who provide care and want to further their understanding of the experiences of cancer patients.

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