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Body image disturbances in young adults with cancer: Implications for the oncology clinical nurse specialist

The impact of the diagnosis of cancer and its treatments on the body image of young adults (18–29 years) diagnosed with cancer is relatively unknown. This descriptive comparative study examined body image scores of young adults diagnosed with cancer and young adults without cancer. The conceptual framework for this study was taken from body image and developmental theory. Secord and Jourard's body cathexis/self-cathexis scales and a demographic sheet were mailed to 162 young adults diagnosed with cancer and to 150 young adults without cancer. A t test was used to compare the mean scores between the two groups. A statistically significant difference was found between the mean scores reported by the young adults diagnosed with cancer for the body cathexis and selfcathexis scales. The selfcathexis and body cathexis scores indicated that the young adults diagnosed with cancer had a more positive body image than the young adults without cancer. The mean scores were also compared in relation to the demographic data collected using t tests and analysis of variance. Within the group diagnosed with cancer, male subjects demonstrated a more secure body-cathexis (p value of 0.012) and married subjects demonstrated a more secure selfcathexis than the single subjects did (p value of 0.04). No statistically significant difference was found within the group without cancer related to demographic variables. Implications for the oncology clinical nurse specialist are explored.