Psychological Resilience and Risk Perception in the Management of High-Risk Diseases: A Qualitative Case Study of a Cancer Patient

Heydari, Sedigheh; Mahdizade Noudehi, Mahdi

doi:10.22034/IJRRS.2025.8.2.1

Psychological Resilience and Risk Perception in the Management of High-Risk Diseases: A Qualitative Case Study of a Cancer Patient

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Sedigheh Heydari ¹

Mahdi Mahdizade noudehi ²

¹ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Amiralmoemenin University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

² Department of Psychology, E- branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22034/IJRRS.2025.8.2.1

Abstract

In the face of high-risk diseases such as cancer, understanding the psychological factors affecting patients' coping is of fundamental importance in improving the quality of care and designing supportive interventions. The present study was conducted with a qualitative approach and internal case study method, focusing on the lived experience of a cancer patient in Iran in 2025; a case that is worth internal study due to its specific psychological characteristics and unique way of coping with the disease. The study aimed to deeply explore the dimensions of psychological resilience and risk perception from the perspective of an individual who has faced the multifaceted challenges of the disease. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings showed that psychological resilience in this case, as a dynamic and contextual process, includes four main themes: redefining the meaning of life, using support resources (formal and informal), rebuilding individual and social identity, and actively accepting the disease conditions. Also, risk perception significantly interacted with individual beliefs, past experiences, information sources, and quality of relationship with the treatment team, and affected self-care behaviors and treatment decision-making. This study showed that resilience and risk perception, together, have a high capacity to enhance psychological stability and behavioral confidence in the face of chronic and high-risk diseases. The results provide actionable insights for designing culturally sensitive support programs that align with the psychosocial characteristics of Iranian cancer patients, particularly by emphasizing meaning reconstruction, family-based support, and patient-provider trust.

Keywords

Risk perception

Psychological resilience

Lived experience

Content analysis

Cancer

Subjects

Risk

Bayat, “Summary of research in the field of health psychology,” Develop. Psychol. (Iranian Psychol.), vol. 2, no. 6, 2005, (in Persian).
Saffarinia, “Social components of health psychology in Iran,” Health Psychology., vol. 3, no. 11, pp. 102–119, 2014, (in Persian), https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.23221283.1393.3.11.6.7
Nazemi et al., “Effectiveness of positive psychotherapy and psychodrama on resilience in breast cancer patients,” Medical Journal of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, vol. 66, no. 4, 2023, (in Persian), https://doi.org/10.22038/mjms.2023.69772.4138.
Karimiafshar et al., “The effectiveness of emotion regulation intervention on resilience and death anxiety in women with breast cancer,” Health Psychology, vol. 7, no. 25, pp. 95–105, 2018, (in Persian), https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.23221283.1397.7.25.6.3.
E. Blanco et al., “Resilience in patient with cancer: how to deal with the disease? an analytical cross-sectional study,” Authorea, 2024, https://doi.org/10.22541/au.173867771.11341477/v1.
Y. Min, Y. Kim, and H. J. An, “Factors affecting resilience among young breast cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study,” European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.ejon.2025.102837
Li, Y. Zhu, and H. Wan, “Perceived stress and family adaptability in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy: the chain-mediated effect of social support and family resilience,” Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 15, 2025, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1488196
B. Turan and G. Dural, “Does spiritual well-being affect death anxiety and psychological resilience in cancer patients?,” OMEGA-Journal of Death Dying, vol. 90, no. 4, pp. 1909–1924, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1177/003022282211299
Wang et al., “A longitudinal study of resilience and social function in patients with colorectal cancer and stomas,” J. Psychosom. Res., vol. 189, 2025. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.112013
Zomorodpoush, A. Norouzi, and F. Fahimnia, “The effect of perceived risk and benefit on health information search and sharing by social media users (Case study: University of Tehran students),” Iranian Journal of Information Processing & Management Quarterly, vol. 40, no. 3, 2024, (in Persian), https://doi.org/10.22034/jipm.2024.2036084.1693.
Mohammadzadeh and Z. S. Hosseini, “Effectiveness of intensive short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy on improving hope and happiness in cancer patients,” Health Psychology, vol. 7, no. 27, pp. 131–151, 2018, (in Persian), https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.23221283. 1397.7.27.8.9.
Rostami and V. S. Anousheh, “The effects of automation and artificial intelligence on human reliability in industries,” Occupational Medicine Quarterly Journal, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 1–4, 2024, (in Persian), http://dx.doi.org/10.18502/tkj.v16i2.16085.
Majid, M. Karbasian, A. Sarafraz, and P. Golboo, “Identifying and examining concepts of human reliability and its impact on organizational productivity,” Standard and Quality Management Journal, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 186–201, 2022, (in Persian), https://doi.org/10.22034/jsqm.2023.384186.1461
Banisafar, Q. Ahi, A. Mansouri, and A. Bahreynian., “Effectiveness of narrative therapy on resilience and emotional regulation in cancer patients with low psychological hardiness,” Journal of Psychological Science, vol. 23, no. 133, pp. 183–196, 2024, (in Persian), http://dx.doi.org/10.52547/JPS.23.133.183.
Delkhosh and Y. Movahedi, “Effectiveness of mindfulness training on resilience and tolerance of ambiguity in breast cancer patients,” Iranian Journal of Rehabilitation Research in Nursing, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 22–31, 2022, (in Persian), http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.22034/IJRN.9.2.3.
Özbay and A. E. Bülbül, “The impact of psychological resilience and gender on the relationship between trauma-coping perception and levels of secondary traumatic stress in mental health workers,” Journal of Community Psychology, vol. 53, no. 1, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23150.
Zhao et al., “How does social capital facilitate community disaster resilience? A systematic review,” Frontiers in Environtal Science, vol. 12, 2025, https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1496813.
Xu and M. Li, “Illness perception and family resilience in gynaecologic cancer patients: A study on the mediating role of hope,” Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 81, no. 4, pp. 1856–1863, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16375
Abdian, F. Ebrahimi, S. Ghorbani, and N. Abedishargh, “Comparison of the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment training and positive psychology on mental health and resilience of women with breast cancer,” Hayat, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 426–440, 2023, (in Persian).
Faramarz and S.M. Mirabolghasemi, “A review of health psychology and schema therapy education,” Journal of Research in Psychology and Education, vol. 6, no. 81, pp. 455–477, 2024, (in Persian).
Xiang, H. Wan, and Y. Zhu, “Effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on resilience among adult cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” BMC Psychiatry, vol. 25, no. 1, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06628-3.
H. Mahmoudi-Sefidkoohi et al., “Designing a conceptual model for enhancing human reliability in the health system with emphasis on training and empowerment strategies,” Educational Planning Studies, vol. 13, no. 26, pp. 96–126, 2024, (in Persian), https://doi.org/10.22080/eps.2025.28281.2299.
M. A. Khatami Firouzabadi and M. Mahboub Ghodsi, “A model for assessing human reliability in medical devices using FMEA and fuzzy theory,” Management Research in Iran, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 33–60, 2021, (in Persian), https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001. 1.2322200.1395.20.1.2.7.
Tamtaji and A. E. Kiuij, “The role of artificial intelligence in implementing HSE standards in the petrochemical industry,” International Journal of Reliability, Risk and Safety: Theory and Application, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 30-46, 2025, https://doi.org/10.22034/IJRRS.2025.8.1.3.
Mahmoudi et al., “Health monitoring algorithm for turbofan engine using cascade feedforward neural networks,” International Journal of Reliability, Risk and Safety: Theory and Application, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 52–61, 2024, https://doi.org/10.22034/IJRRS.2024.7.2.5.
Babakpour and F. K. Organi, “Introduction of risk management method based on hierarchy risk management and surface data to eliminate operational risk (second development),” International Journal of Reliability, Risk and Safety: Theory and Application, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 15–20, 2023, https://doi.org/10.22034/IJRRS.2023.6.2.2.
Shafieenejad, S. Ghasemi, and M. Siami, “COVID-19 infection risk index estimation in flight destinations (case study: Kish Air destinations),” International Journal of Reliability, Risk and Safety: Theory and Application, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 63–70, 2020, https://doi.org/10.30699/IJRRS.3.2.8.
Braun and V. Clarke, “Using thematic analysis in psychology,” Qualitative Research in Psychology, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 77–101, 2006, https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.