Background/objectives: Social support can enhance psychosocial health-related quality of life (PSQOL) in adult cancer patients. Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer face unique psychosocial challenges that intersect with key developmental milestones. Theoretical models propose that illness perceptions and social support are key determinants of coping strategies and long-term health outcomes in this context. These may be especially salient for AYAs, for whom peer relationships and identity formation are central. Methods: We explored how perceived social support and illness perceptions influence PSQOL over time in AYA cancer patients through a secondary analysis of the BRIGHTLIGHT longitudinal cohort study. Results: BRIGHTLIGHT followed 830 young people aged 13–24 across five time points (6–36 months post-diagnosis). Multi-level modelling revealed that PSQOL improved over time but remained consistently lower in females (mean: 69.62, 95% CI: 70.69 to −68.55). Greater perceived support from friends was associated with poorer PSQOL (β: −0.77, 95% CI: −1.007 to −0.54) and linked to negative illness perceptions, longer hospital stays (β: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00 to −0.02), longer diagnostic intervals (β: −0.009, 95% CI: −0.02 to −0.00), and poorer clinical communication (β: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.01 to −1.03). A patient interpretation exercise with BRIGHTLIGHT’s Young Advisory Panel contextualized these findings. Conclusions: While peer support could promote normalcy, it could also intensify distress through emotional pressure or social isolation. Future research should address not only access to social support but its quality and relevance to AYAs’ unique psychosocial needs.
背景/目的：社会支持可改善成年癌症患者的心理社会健康相关生活质量。青少年及年轻成人癌症患者面临独特的心理社会挑战，这些挑战与其关键发展阶段相互交织。理论模型指出，在此背景下，疾病认知与社会支持是应对策略和长期健康结局的关键决定因素。这对青少年及年轻成人可能尤为突出，因为同伴关系和身份认同的形成对他们至关重要。方法：通过对BRIGHTLIGHT纵向队列研究的二次分析，我们探讨了青少年及年轻成人癌症患者感知的社会支持与疾病认知如何随时间影响其心理社会健康相关生活质量。结果：BRIGHTLIGHT研究对830名13-24岁青少年在五个时间点（诊断后6-36个月）进行了追踪。多层次模型分析显示，心理社会健康相关生活质量随时间推移有所改善，但女性患者始终较低（均值：69.62，95% CI：70.69至-68.55）。感知到来自朋友的更多支持与较差的心理社会健康相关生活质量相关（β：-0.77，95% CI：-1.007至-0.54），且与负面疾病认知、较长住院时间（β：0.01，95% CI：0.00至-0.02）、较长诊断间隔（β：-0.009，95% CI：-0.02至-0.00）以及较差的临床沟通（β：0.52，95% CI：0.01至-1.03）相关联。通过BRIGHTLIGHT青年顾问小组的患者解读活动，这些发现得到了情境化阐释。结论：虽然同伴支持可能促进常态感，但也可能通过情感压力或社会隔离加剧痛苦。未来研究不仅应关注社会支持的可及性，还应关注其质量及与青少年及年轻成人独特心理社会需求的相关性。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家