Understanding Sports Fandom and Psychosocial Wellbeing in Cancer Survivors: A Conceptual Framework

In this conceptual paper, sports fandom is proposed as being a possible resource to improve cancer survivors' psychosocial well-being. The idea to explore this relationship is driven by the two primary factors. The first is that the number of cancer survivors in the United States is increasing, and cancer survivors are living longer with cancer-related psychosocial difficulties. The second is that a portion of adults in the United States identify as sports fans, and studies have shown that engaging in sports fandom can positively impact psychosocial wellbeing. Despite this, the relationship between sports fandom and cancer survivor psychosocial wellbeing does not appear to have been studied significantly. A brief introduction to the research about cancer survivor psychosocial wellbeing and psychosocial benefits of sports fandom is provided. The Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment theory of wellbeing is presented as the basis for a conceptual model of how sports fandom might support improved hedonic, eudaimonic, and social wellbeing among cancer survivors. The potential implications of further research into this relationship could identify sports fandom as a possible innovative, non-medical resource to address social isolation and promote long, healthy, and productive lives among cancer survivors.