Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Research has shown that adolescents with cancer (AWC) face treatment that is complex, invasive, and onerous. Coming during a time with major developmental changes, it brings the potential of making high demands on the coping capacity of these adolescents. Using the theoretical frameworks of stress and coping, life-span development and Haase's (1996) Adolescent Resilience Model (ARM), this study explored the influences of social support and family environment on coping for AWC.

The diploma thesis "Psychological aspects of coping with a serious somatic disease: women diagnosed with cervical cancer" deals with psychological demands of the adaptation to the oncological disease with focus on specifics of the cervical cancer diagnosis. The theoretical part first introduces specifics of cervical cancer with consideration of patients' experience and then provides the issue of coping with the oncological disease in terms of coping and defense mechanisms. Then it elaborates the psychological adaptation to cancer disease with focus on other aspects linked to society, patients and disease altogether with problems in coping with oncological diagnosis. The theoretical part of the study is concluded with the description of demands and patients' experience in each clinical stage of the disease. The empirical part describes supporting psychological and other aspects, which help women to cope with cervical cancer. It also pays attention to the change of these aspects and needs with regard to clinical stage of the disease (treatment, remission and relapse) and specific demographic data (age, children, size of residence, partnership). It is also focused on those of supporting aspects, which are appreciated or missed by the patients within the treating team (doctors and other medical staff)....