働く世代のがん患者の治療継続と社会生活の両立に向けた対処によってアイデンティティの揺らぎを収束するプロセス

Process of Converging Identity Fluctuations by Coping With Balance Between Continuing Treatment and Balancing Social Life for Working-Age Cancer Patients

要旨

　目的：働く世代のがん患者が治療継続と社会生活の両立に向けた対処によって，アイデンティティの揺らぎを収束するプロセスを明らかにする．

　方法：働く世代のがん患者11名に半構造化面接を行い，複線径路・等至モデルを用いて分析した．

　結果：働く世代のがん患者のアイデンティティの揺らぎを収束するプロセスは7つの時期に区分され，時期ごとのアイデンティティと対処が明らかとなった．そしてそのプロセスは4パターンに分類され，いずれのパターンも治療経過に応じて現実自己と理想自己と対峙しながら，治療継続と社会的役割の遂行にむけた様々な対処により【がんサバイバーとしての自己を受け入れ自分なりにこれからの生き方を明確にできる】というアイデンティティに至るプロセスであった．

　結論：働く世代のがん患者のアイデンティティや認識，対処行動の違いに着目して支援することで，アイデンティティの揺らぎをより円滑な収束に導くことが示唆された．

　Objectives: To clarify the processes by which working-age cancer patients converge fluctuations in their identity by implementing coping strategies that improve compatibility between their ongoing treatment and their social lives.

　Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 working-age cancer patients, and the data were analyzed using the trajectory-equifinality model.

　Result: The processes by which working-age cancer patients converge fluctuations in their identity were divided into seven stages. Patients' identities and coping strategies were clarified for each stage, and the processes were categorized into four patterns. In each of the patterns, patients confronted their actual self and their idealized self in a manner that corresponded to the course of treatment. The process of doing so led to an identity in which the patient has accepted themself "as a cancer survivor and is able to identify an individualized way of living for the future" through the implementation of different strategies to fulfill their social roles while continuing their treatment.

　Conclusion: The findings suggest that providing support that considers differences in identity, awareness, and coping behavior among working-age cancer patients can help such patients to more easily converge fluctuations in their identity.