The family caregiving study
The purpose of this study was to generate a
grounded theory of family caregiver role acquisition
among caregivers of persons receiving
chemotherapy for cancer.8 Specifically,
the study sought to identify patterns of role
acquisition and conditions influencing these
patterns, using an interactionist perspective.
Thus, the study included both family caregivers
and the persons for whom they were
providing care. A longitudinal design in
which participants were interviewed three
times across the course of chemotherapy
was consistent with a transition perspective.
1 The sample consisted of 19 caregivers
and 20 patients with solid tumors or lymphoma.
Semi-structured interviews addressed
illness care experiences, strategies,
and interactions. Although the original intent
of the study was to explore caregivers’ transitions
into the caregiving role, it quickly became
apparent that caregiving could not be
isolated analytically from self-care by the ill
person. Thus, self-care and caregiving by the
dyad became the focus for analysis. Patterns
of self-care and caregiving were quite fluid
and shifted often over the course of chemotherapy
as conditions for care changed,
leading to the identification of shifting patterns
of self-care and caregiving as the core
concept of the grounded theory. The study
revealed the fluidity of care involvement during
the transition into illness care roles and
the need to study complementary role transitions
together.