Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Major
Education, Counseling
Date of Defense
5-2-2025
Graduate Advisor
Dr. Susan Kashubeck-West
Committee
Dr. Lee Nelson
Dr. Emily Brown
Dr. Thomas Meuser
Abstract
Death, often perceived as a disruption to daily life, is an inevitable part of the human experience. While older adults may develop familiarity with mortality through the collective experience of personal and familial losses, young adults generally have limited exposure to death. Despite this, young adults, defined as individuals aged 20 to 34, represent approximately 20% of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020), and the mortality rate within this age group has been rising over the past decade (Woolf & Schoomaker, 2019). Death among young adults is often overlooked in societal narratives and medical research, which primarily focus on end-of-life experiences in children and older adults. Young adults are often excluded from clinical trials and face a gap in services, finding themselves caught between pediatric and adult care systems that fail to meet their distinct needs. This project utilized a phenomenological research design and analysis to explore the experiences of young adults with terminal cancer, highlighting the emotional, psychological, and social impact of navigating end-of-life care in a system ill-equipped to support them. A total of two young adult participants and five clinicians volunteered for the study. The young adults completed two semi-structured interviews (one in-depth, narrative interview and one shorter, follow-up interview). The five clinicians completed one semi-structured interview. The data was analyzed to capture the essence of the reported phenomenon among the participants, which brought forth more knowledge about their experience of navigating a terminal illness as a young adult or in a support role at the end-of-life. The research identifies the unique challenges young adults face when confronting death through seven major themes: navigating life with a terminal illness, identity beyond diagnosis, navigating relationships and support systems, coping through uncertainty, meaning making, legacy, and clinical reflections. This research delivers vital insights into young adults with terminal diseases by detailing a spectrum of experiences including their emotional, social, and existential growth. Findings, limitations, and implications for counselor educators as well as the counseling profession, and areas for continued research, are presented and discussed.
Recommended Citation
Overton, Brianne L., "Dying Young" (2025). Dissertations. 1544.
https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation/1544