Perception of the occupational roles of working mothers with breast cancer: a view from the Person-Environment-Occupation Model

Abstract

This research addresses the perceptions of women who identify as working mothers regarding the impact on their occupational roles following a breast cancer diagnosis, based on the Person-Environment-Occupation Model. The methodology involved conducting interviews with ten women about their experiences related to their breast cancer diagnosis, of which five were undergoing treatment and five had recovered. The results reveal that these women perceive their performance to be impacted by the physical, socioemotional, and cognitive consequences of having or having had breast cancer. Furthermore, the illness also affected the various roles they inhabited, highlighting the importance of support networks throughout the process. Therefore, future research is essential to underscore the importance of occupational therapy in treating this condition, considering the women’s significant occupations and the contexts in which they occur.