Date

4-26-2024

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Sarah Walsh

Keywords

Autoethnography, Chinese American women, breast cancer, culture, cancer support, Chinese Value Survey, Ways of Coping

Disciplines

Counseling

Abstract

Chinese American women have been part of the United States immigration history since the Gold Rush in 1852. They have experienced physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual challenges with minimal support. The premise of this study is that when facing the hardship of a breast cancer diagnosis, Chinese American women are resilient by adhering to their cultural beliefs and using effective coping styles to cope with their cancer. Based on previous studies, Chinese American women have been considered to have a lower risk of breast cancer and have a 30% lower death rate than non-Asian women. However, breast cancer incidents are increasing rapidly. Still, limited studies have been conducted on Chinese American women with breast cancer and coping strategies. Thus, the purpose of this autoethnography was to explore the lived experience of a Chinese American woman navigating the trauma of coping with breast cancer and examining how the role of culture ties into her treatment journey. For this study, the researcher completed two surveys: Folkman and Lazarus’s 66-item Ways of Coping-Revised (student sample version) and the 40-item Chinese Value Survey to frame the discussion of Chinese values and coping in the narrative. The study aim was to provide a deeper cultural understanding of the author, a Chinese American woman, on how she coped with breast cancer and the role Chinese values played in her lived experiences.

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