SELF-ESTEEM AND EGO-IDENTITY ACHIEVEMENT IN ADOLESCENTS WITH CANCER.
Contributors: Claremont Graduate School.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 249
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Developmental.; Psychology, Social.
Description: The purpose of the study was to determine predictors of self-esteem and ego-identity achievement in a population of adolescents with cancer. The primary hypotheses of the study were that: (1) the experience of cancer during adolescence would result in lower levels of self-esteem, (2) lowered self-esteem and the inability to take on a "future orientation" would result in lower global identity achievement scores, and (3) the content focus of identity formation would be altered in adolescents with cancer.

A convenience sample of adolescents with cancer, ages 15 through 25, completed two research instruments: the EOMEIS-2, an objective measure of ego-identity status, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Index. Additionally, subjects under 18 years of age completed the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale. Data related to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis were obtained from the subject's medical record. A subsample of adolescents with cancer was interviewed using Marcia and Archer's Ego Identity Interview, and a researcher designed, semi-structured interview to obtain qualitative data about the experience of cancer during adolescence.

Adolescents with cancer completed the questionnaires while awaiting oncology clinic visits, during support groups, or during individual contacts. A control group of healthy adolescents from a local high-school and college completed the same research tools, and were matched with research group subjects on variables of gender, age, and ethnicity for purposes of statistical analysis.

Statistical analyses using path analysis, Chi-square, and the matched pairs T-Test were computed. The causal model based on theoretically expected relationships did not prove useful in identifying predictors of identity achievement. Significant differences were not found in self-esteem or overall identity achievement scores between cancer and control groups. However, differences in content focus of identity formation were identified. Within the content domain of religious identity, adolescents with cancer were more likely to be identity achieved than their healthy peers. Apparently, facing a life-threatening illness resulted in a greater degree of exploration and commitment with regard to religious ideology. Further study is suggested to identify predictors of identity achievement in adolescents with cancer in order to develop interventions to facilitate this important goal.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-07, Section: B, page: 3324.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE CLAREMONT GRADUATE SCHOOL, 1990.

School code: 0047.