POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH AND GENERATIVITY AMONG SURVIVORS OF MALE REPRODUCTIVE CANCERS

Guntupalli, Yasaswini and Ganesh, M P (2019) POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH AND GENERATIVITY AMONG SURVIVORS OF MALE REPRODUCTIVE CANCERS. Masters thesis, Indian institute of technology Hyderabad.

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Abstract

Cancers of the male reproductive system include prostate, testicular and penile malignancies. The study aimed to understand the factors associated with post-traumatic growth (PTG) among male reproductive cancer survivors in India. It also aspired to unravel the existential phenomenon of survivorship of reproductive cancers in the Indian socio-cultural context. The study adopted a qualitative methodology to achieve its objectives. A semi-structured interview guide was constructed following extensive review of literature, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 6 men of whom 5 had been treated for prostate cancer and 1 for testicular cancer. The interview transcripts were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four superordinate themes were identified, viz. (i) What happened to me: cancer as a disruption to common-sense reality, (ii) The transition: coming to terms with the illness, (iii) The embedded individual: contextualizing experiences, and (iv) Growing beyond the illness: unearthing the good. The participant’s narratives of their cancer experiences were varied, with some reporting post-traumatic growth in the form of positive changes in perspective towards life, closer bonds with family, increased generativity etc. Factors associated with post-traumatic growth included strong familial support, self-reliance, knowledge-seeking and identification as a survivor. The findings were discussed in the context of existing literature. Implications for further research and practice were discussed.

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