Body Image and Posttraumatic Growth : Overcoming Physical Changes in Brain Tumor Patients

Our research goal is to gain more insight into the different experiences of brain tumor patients and investigate methods to help them overcome their physical changes. This study employed a qualitative analysis approach to understand the research questions addressed. After the Internal Review Board approved the research protocol, data was collected through individual Zoom interviews with one male and three female brain tumor patients. Participants’ ages ranged from 45 to 70. The primary investigator conducted all the interviews, which lasted about an hour and contained 11 questions structured for participant-led exploration of their experience. Findings from the interviews revealed that body image was a concern for the sampled brain tumor patients due to changes resulting from cancer-related treatments. Healthcare professionals should consider these aspects while providing treatment for brain tumor patients to minimize the impact on their physical and mental health.