Resilience in Cancer Patients

Being diagnosed with cancer and undergoing its treatment are associated with substantial distress that can cause long-lasting negative psychological outcomes. Resilience is an individual’s ability to maintain or restore relatively-stable psychological and physical functioning in the face of stress and adversities. Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is characterized by positive life changes resulting from major life crises or stressful events.

(1) to investigate which factors can strengthen or weaken resilience and PTG in cancer patients and survivors; (2) to explore the relationship between resilience and PTG, and mental health outcomes; and (3) to discuss the impact and clinical implications of resilience and PTG on the process of recovery from cancer.