Table 3.

Key events and components of social isolation trajectories

Key events	Never isolated, n = 11	Diminished isolation, n = 9	Persistent isolation, n = 4	Delayed isolation, n = 6
Return to school	Easily reintegrated	Experienced severe social isolation and bullying	Experienced social isolation and bullying	Have friends and “normal” school life
Family support	Supportive, encouraging	Supportive, close	Mixed	Supportive, positive
Peer or professional support	Some peer support accessed when younger, but not needed later on	Some peer and professional support accessed when younger	Some peer and professional support accessed, but not beneficial	Some peer and professional support accessed, but not beneficial
Ways of coping	Control over cancer identity	Finishing high school, partying	Self-isolating strategies	Anxiety about socialization
Current social life	Strong social network	Fulfilling social life	Social isolation persists, social functioning is difficult	Progressive social isolation and left behind by peers
Education and employment	Successful	Successful	Delayed, struggling	Delayed, struggling
Intimacy and dating	No difficulties	Limited, feel that peers are passing them by	Out of reach	Out of reach
Late effects	Have not interfered with social ability or outlook	Have not interfered with social ability or outlook	Have interfered with social ability, daily life and outlook	Have interfered with social ability, daily life and outlook
Depression	Did not experience depression	Struggled intermittently with depression	Depression and loneliness are pervasive	Depression and loneliness as young adults
Cancer survivor identity	Cancer is in the past	Cancer is in the past	Did not elaborate	Cancer is still part of current life and identity
Future outlook	Positive	Optimistic	Powerless	Uncertain