Transcending the Now: A Grounded Theory Study of Depressive Symptoms in African American Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract

In breast cancer patients, symptoms of depression decrease quality of life and may have other serious consequences, such as increasing mortality. Few studies have focused on psychosocial issues and their relation to breast cancer in African-American women. Thus, only limited information has been published on the breast cancer experience of African American women. A grounded theory approach was used to explicate the social psychological and social structural processes of African American women with breast cancer experiencing depressive symptoms. The sample included nine African American women with breast cancer who experienced depressive symptoms. Unstructured interviews were conducted with each participant.Data were analyzed using the constant comparison method. The data indicated that African American women used the basic social process of Transcending the now to manage the basic social problem of having breast cancer and experiencing depressive symptoms. The five phases of the basic social psychological (BSP) process Transcending the Now that emerged during data analysis were Relying on Faith, Being Strong, Seeking Support, Dealing with Life Too, and Enduring Breast Cancer. The findings of this study provide nurses with new knowledge regarding the experience of depressive symptoms in African American women with breast cancer and provide a theory of transcending that can be used in building a research-based practice.