Date of Award
2026
Degree Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Psychology, PhD
Program
School of Social Science, Politics, and Evaluation
Advisor/Supervisor/Committee Chair
Saida Heshmati
Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member
Jeanne Nakamura
Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member
Samir Chatterjee
Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member
Qi Chen
Terms of Use & License Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Rights Information
© 2026 Ximena Giesemann
Subject Categories
Psychology
Abstract
While caregivers of cancer patients across all ages experience fluctuations in psychological well-being, informal caregivers of young adult cancer patients (ICCYAs) may be especially vulnerable due to the distinctive developmental context of the young adult cancer patient and the unique challenges of facing cancer during this life stage. However, research that examines ICCYA psychological well-being is limited and utilizes methodologies that are insufficient in capturing both the dynamic nature of psychological well-being and the ICCYA role. As a result, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding how ICCYA psychological well-being unfolds, and the moment-to-moment factors associated with it. To gain deeper insight into how ICCYA psychological well-being unfolds, research that employs intensive longitudinal methodologies—such as ecological momentary assessment (EMA)—is necessary. Importantly, the feasibility of intensive longitudinal methodologies within samples composed exclusively of ICCYAs remains unknown. The current research addressed these gaps through two central aims. First, feasibility of smartphone-based EMA procedures involving four surveys per day over a two-week period was established among a sample of ICCYAs. The second aim examined whether momentary situational context (i.e., patient presence, activity, and location) and momentary relational appraisal (i.e., perceived patient-caregiver relationship quality) were associated with ICCYAs’ momentary psychological well-being. The final sample consisted of 17 ICCYAs ages 27-67 years (M = 47.71, SD = 13.93). Results supported the feasibility of a smartphone-based EMA study among ICCYAS, evidenced by high enrollment (62%), excellent compliance (93% mean prompt completion), and overall acceptability, with qualitative feedback highlighting both perceived burden and meaningful increases in emotional awareness. Furthermore, multilevel models indicated that activity and location were differentially associated with ICCYAs’ psychological well-being across mPERMA domains. Notably, in moments when ICCYAs engaged in social activities, they reported higher levels of psychological well-being across all but one mPERMA domain. After accounting for momentary situational contexts, in moments when ICCYAs perceived higher patient-caregiver relationship quality, they also reported higher levels of Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. These findings underscore the importance of social activity and perceived patient-caregiver relationship quality in relation to ICCYA psychological well-being. Along with supporting the use of EMA in ICCYA research, these results may inform future research and the development of targeted, context-sensitive interventions aimed at supporting ICCYA psychological well-being.
ISBN
9798244861143
Recommended Citation
Giesemann, Ximena. (2026). Momentary Psychological Well-Being of Informal Caregivers of Young Adult Cancer Patients: A Feasibility Study. CGU Theses & Dissertations, 1101. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/1101.
