Experiences of Low Mood in Young People With Cancer: A Qualitative Study

Young people with cancer are at increased risk of psychological difficulty; yet there is little research on their experiences of low mood or depressive symptoms to help inform treatment interventions. This qualitative study explored experiences and opinions of low mood or depression in young people with cancer, how their mood related to developmental challenges, strategies used to cope, and how services could improve support. Nineteen young people diagnosed and treated for cancer completed semistructured interviews. Transcripts were thematically analyzed using the framework approach, and analysis produced eight themes, organized into three domains: “A Harder Time of Life,” “Interpersonal Impact of Cancer,” and “Learning to Understand and Describe Low Mood,” Participants interviewed experienced low mood during cancer and predominantly felt “low mood” was a helpful term to describe their emotions. There were similarities and variations in their reported mood compared with clinical depression. The developmental challenges of being a young person with cancer negatively affected their mood. Participants used a variety of different coping strategies to manage these challenges. Young people were clear that they would like others to help them understand negative emotions experienced through cancer are normal to feel and support for low mood to be accessible and available.