An exploration of cancer-related beliefs and perceptions in adolescents and young adults who have a parent with cancer

Recent estimates suggest that 21 000 young people in Australia have a parent diagnosed with cancer each year and more than half of them experience clinically‐elevated levels of depression and anxiety following their parent's diagnosis. According to Leventhal's Self‐Regulatory Model of Illness, the beliefs, perceptions, and understanding that a person has about an illness and its treatment influences their ability to cope with and adjust to the illness. Despite some significant findings, there has been limited research exploring this relationship in the context of parental cancer. The present study is part of ongoing work that aims to determine the relationship between young people's beliefs and their psychological adjustment following a parental cancer diagnosis. We conducted focus groups to explore the types of beliefs and perceptions that young people have about their parent's cancer. Participants were adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 24 who were living in the family home at the time of their parent's cancer diagnosis. The findings are discussed using Leventhal's model as a theoretical framework and provide a basis for the development of a quantitative measure of illness cognitions in this cohort. This research will enable further investigation into the role of cancer‐related beliefs in determining young people's psychological adjustment following a parental cancer diagnosis.