Sources of strength perceived by females caring for relatives diagnosed with cancer: an exploratory study from India

The aim of the study was to explore sources of strength in the process of caregiving from the perspectives of Indian women caring for relatives suffering from cancer. In addition, it aimed at exploring self-reported occurrence of positive moments and personal changes experienced during the care-giving process.

Twenty female caregivers participated in two to four interview sessions. The average caregiver was about 40 years old. Spouses and children as caregivers had the highest representation in the sample. The care recipients had heterogeneous cancer diagnoses and were undergoing active treatment.

Religious beliefs and practices and positive appraisal of the caregiver role in terms of "value" emerged as the most frequently cited intrapersonal sources of strengths. Religious beliefs and practices were linked with positive appraisals of care-giving demands and experience of hope. The participants also described several interpersonal sources of strengths, e.g., family, medical fraternity, and care recipients themselves. The narratives of the participants indicated the occurrence of positive moments as well as perceptions of positive personal changes during the care-giving process.

The findings have implications for further research on positive aspects of caregiving as well as for development of intervention components that may help caregivers maintain and enhance their well-being.