| dc.description.abstract | Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) require specific, multidisciplinary care during their cancer treatment and throughout the transition to post-treatment care and survivorship. Currently, there is a lack of research and understanding highlighting the impact of this age-specific and developmentally centered care for adolescents and their return to school post-treatment. Understanding and acknowledging the specific needs of adolescents is crucial to supporting their transition and reintegration back to school after they have achieved post-treatment remission from cancer. Thus, this honors project focused on how providers can improve the transition back to school for this population. Adolescents between 15-18 years of age and off treatment for a minimum of six months who have returned to in-person education participated in either a focus group or individual interviews to evaluate their individual experiences, thoughts, and feelings with the process of returning to school and the support provided to them throughout the process. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis, and eight major themes were identified to inform recommendations for future support of adolescent cancer survivors when returning to school: (1) preparedness; (2) coursework challenges; (3) change and adjustment; (4) consistency and help with adjustment; (5) emotional and social impact; (6) physical impact; (7) normalcy; and (8) positive outlook. These themes form groundwork for age-specific and developmentally informed support when assisting adolescent cancer survivors in their transition from post-treatment to survivorship and returning to school for the first time since diagnosis. | |
