Posttraumatic growth and resilience among survivors of cancer in young adulthood in Switzerland: a report from the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Psychosocial Health Study
5 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, 6005 Lucerne, Switzerland
- 2Cancer Registry Bern and Solothurn, Bern, Switzerland
- 3Cancer Registry of Eastern Switzerland, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- 4Department for Medical Oncology, Cantonal Hospital of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- 5Center for Oncology and Hematology, Cancer Center Baselland, Cantonal Hospital Baselland, Liestal, Switzerland
Abstract
Purpose: Survivors of young adult cancer (YACS) face distinct psychosocial challenges. Posttraumatic growth (PTG) and resilience may aid adaptation, though their relationship and relevance in this age group remain insufficiently understood. We aimed to (1) describe PTG and resilience among Swiss YACS and (2) investigate the associations of PTG with resilience, sociodemographic, and cancer-related characteristics.
Methods: We included survivors aged 21–39 years at diagnosis, diagnosed at least two years prior. We conducted a questionnaire survey using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI; range:0–105) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10; range:0–40). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression.
Results: A total of 131 YACS (62% female; mean age at study = 37.6 years, SD = 5.1) were included. The PTG sum score was 54.6 (SD = 23.0, range:1–101), and YACS reported most PTG in Appreciation of life (mean = 3.3, 95% confidence interval: 3.2–3.6) and least in Spiritual change (1.1, 0.9–1.3). The mean resilience score was 28.06 (SD = 5.91, range:10–39), and YACS reported the highest score for the item “Achieving goals despite obstacles” (3.2, 2.6–3.0), and the lowest for the item “See humorous side of things” (2.1, 2.0–2.3). PTG was higher among females and those who received chemotherapy, while resilience showed no significant association with PTG.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that PTG and resilience are distinct but complementary adaptation processes in YACS. With higher PTG linked to female gender and chemotherapy, and resilience showing no direct association with PTG, personalized psychosocial support remains essential to help survivors navigate their unique cancer experiences and promote well-being.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-11383-6.
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BibTeX
@article{bolliger2026posttraumatic,
title = {{Posttraumatic growth and resilience among survivors of cancer in young adulthood in Switzerland: a report from the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Psychosocial Health Study}},
author = {Céline Bolliger and Luzius Mader and Mohsen Mousavi and Marcel Blum and Beat Müller and Marcus Vetter and Katharina Roser},
journal = {Supportive Care in Cancer},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1007/s00520-026-11383-6},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-11383-6},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Posttraumatic growth and resilience among survivors of cancer in young adulthood in Switzerland: a report from the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Psychosocial Health Study
AU - Céline Bolliger
AU - Luzius Mader
AU - Mohsen Mousavi
AU - Marcel Blum
AU - Beat Müller
AU - Marcus Vetter
AU - Katharina Roser
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/04
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
DO - 10.1007/s00520-026-11383-6
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-11383-6
AB - Purpose: Survivors of young adult cancer (YACS) face distinct psychosocial challenges. Posttraumatic growth (PTG) and resilience may aid adaptation, though their relationship and relevance in this age group remain insufficiently understood. We aimed to (1) describe PTG and resilience among Swiss YACS and (2) investigate the associations of PTG with resilience, sociodemographic, and cancer-related characteristics. Methods: We included survivors aged 21–39 years at diagnosis, diagnosed at least two years prior. We conducted a questionnaire survey using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI; range:0–105) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10; range:0–40). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression. Results: A total of 131 YACS (62% female; mean age at study = 37.6 years, SD = 5.1) were included. The PTG sum score was 54.6 (SD = 23.0, range:1–101), and YACS reported most PTG in Appreciation of life (mean = 3.3, 95% confidence interval: 3.2–3.6) and least in Spiritual change (1.1, 0.9–1.3). The mean resilience score was 28.06 (SD = 5.91, range:10–39), and YACS reported the highest score for the item “Achieving goals despite obstacles” (3.2, 2.6–3.0), and the lowest for the item “See humorous side of things” (2.1, 2.0–2.3). PTG was higher among females and those who received chemotherapy, while resilience showed no significant association with PTG. Conclusion: These findings suggest that PTG and resilience are distinct but complementary adaptation processes in YACS. With higher PTG linked to female gender and chemotherapy, and resilience showing no direct association with PTG, personalized psychosocial support remains essential to help survivors navigate their unique cancer experiences and promote well-being. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-11383-6.
SN - 0941-4355
SN - 1433-7339
ER -