Breast Cancer Survivors’ Motivation to Participate in a Tailored Physical and Psychological Intervention: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: Participants’ engagement in a project requires intrinsic motivations, which may evolve during the intervention thanks to lifestyle changes and positive challenges. Over the years, tailored programs based on physical activity and psychological sessions have been promoted to support the quality of life and well-being of breast cancer survivors. Personal expectations and needs are essential to predict participant adherence to the intervention as well as their possibility to reach positive outcomes. This study presents a preliminary understanding of the differences between motives and outcomes obtained after an integrated physical and psychological intervention conducted by professional trainers and psychologists. Methods: Forty-five women with a history of breast cancer answered some questions before and after the program, and the results were analyzed in accordance with the procedure of the thematic analysis. Results: Physical and psychological well-being are the two main themes that emerged from the participants. Interestingly, some differences emerged between the two data collections. Themes such as aesthetic evaluation interest and the need to learn psychological strategies disappeared at the end of the intervention; on the other hand, the need to make a distance from the illness experiences emerged as an obtained outcome. Conclusions: The discussion explains these differences and highlights the importance of considering breast cancer patients’ needs and motives to take part in interventions to promote quality of life.

Keywords

• breast cancer survivors
• physical activities
• psychological support
• integrated interventions