Volume 7, Issue 3 (September 2025)
IEEPJ 2025, 7(3): 1-16 |
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Haji Fathali F, Emamipour S, Leilabadie L, Alizadeh M. (2025). Exploring the Role of Family and Healthcare-Provided Social Support in the Quality of Life of Patients with Hematologic Malignancies: A Qualitative Study. IEEPJ. 7(3), 1-16.
URL: http://ieepj.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-1132-en.html
URL: http://ieepj.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-1132-en.html
1- Department of Psychology, C.T.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Psychology, C.T.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran ,Susan.Emamipoor@iau.ac.ir
3- Department of Psychology, C.T.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
4- Department of Psychology, C.T.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Psychology, C.T.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran ,
3- Department of Psychology, C.T.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
4- Department of Psychology, C.T.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (573 Views)
Objective: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, while an effective treatment for hematologic malignancies, is associated with substantial physical, psychological, and social challenges that may significantly impair patients’ quality of life. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of patients with hematologic malignancies, focusing on the role of perceived social support and cognitive flexibility in shaping quality of life.
Methods: A mixed-methods (quantitative–qualitative) design was employed. The qualitative phase followed an interpretative phenomenological approach. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with patients hospitalized in a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation unit. Participants were selected using purposive sampling until data saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke’s framework.
Results: Four main themes emerged: (1) experiences of psychological distress and perceived stress related to illness and treatment; (2) perceived social support (emotional, informational, and instrumental) from family members and healthcare providers as a protective factor for quality of life; (3) cognitive flexibility as a key adaptive mechanism facilitating emotional regulation and meaning reconstruction; and (4) the interaction between perceived social support and cognitive flexibility in mitigating stress and enhancing quality of life.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that quality of life in patients with hematologic malignancies is strongly influenced by psychological and social resources, beyond medical factors alone. Strengthening social support and cognitive flexibility may contribute to more effective psychosocial interventions and improved quality of life in this population.
Methods: A mixed-methods (quantitative–qualitative) design was employed. The qualitative phase followed an interpretative phenomenological approach. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with patients hospitalized in a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation unit. Participants were selected using purposive sampling until data saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke’s framework.
Results: Four main themes emerged: (1) experiences of psychological distress and perceived stress related to illness and treatment; (2) perceived social support (emotional, informational, and instrumental) from family members and healthcare providers as a protective factor for quality of life; (3) cognitive flexibility as a key adaptive mechanism facilitating emotional regulation and meaning reconstruction; and (4) the interaction between perceived social support and cognitive flexibility in mitigating stress and enhancing quality of life.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that quality of life in patients with hematologic malignancies is strongly influenced by psychological and social resources, beyond medical factors alone. Strengthening social support and cognitive flexibility may contribute to more effective psychosocial interventions and improved quality of life in this population.
Keywords: Quality of life, Hematologic malignancies, Perceived social support, Cognitive flexibility, Qualitative study
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Evolutionary Psychology
Received: 2025/02/20 | Accepted: 2025/04/14 | Published: 2025/09/1
Received: 2025/02/20 | Accepted: 2025/04/14 | Published: 2025/09/1
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