“…The participants were practically and psychologically prepared to cope with being alone, which was reported as a secondary problem, perceived as less important than protecting themselves by keeping others at a safe distance. Patients not only believed that they had to go through protective isolation (Campbell, 1999), but also selfimposed it to reduce the risk of dangerous infections (Wagland, Levesque, & Connors, 2015). Several studies have found that when patients undergoing HSCT are cared for in protective isolation, they experience feelings of loneliness and decreased social support, together with an impaired quality of life and more depression (El-Jawahri et al, 2015;Tecchio et al, 2013;Xuereb & Dunlop, 2003;Zamanzadeh, Valizadeh, Sayadi, Taleghani, & Jeddian, 2013).…”