Understanding the use of metaphors by parents of children with cancer in blogs: a qualitative analysis

Abstract

Parents of children with cancer, who face significant financial and psychological burdens, often employ metaphors to convey their distinctive experiences and inner realms. However, these metaphors have received scant attention in prior research. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the utilization of metaphors in blogs authored by parents of children with cancer, aiming to shed light on this understudied area. This study collected data from blogs authored by 33 parents of children with cancer spanning the period from 2019 to 2022, yielding a total of 181 metaphors. Drawing upon Conceptual Metaphor Theory, the method of qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze how parents of children with cancer utilize metaphors. This study found that “Game”, “War”, “Journey” and “Plant” metaphors were the most commonly used by parents of children with cancer. Game and war metaphors occupy a dominant position, followed by journey and plant metaphors. Additionally, these parents frequently employ mixed metaphors. The use of metaphorical language enables these parents to effectively articulate their distinct experiences and emotions. The use of metaphors may serve as a means for parents to articulate their feelings and motivate their children to actively fight cancer. By recognizing the metaphors embraced by these parents, we can gain a deeper understanding of their internal world and potentially offer support through both online and offline channels to mitigate their stress levels.