Longitudinal evolution of meaning in life and its relationship with coping strategies in Spanish patients with a breast cancer diagnosis.

Support Care Cancer

Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatments, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.

Published: June 2023

Background: Changes in Meaning in life (MIL) have been shown to be particularly important when people face very stressful events such as receiving a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Active coping strategies have been related to higher levels of MIL in people with a diagnosis of cancer.

Objective: To explore the evolution of MIL in a sample of cancer patients at the time of their diagnosis and three, six, and nine months after surgery, and identify the association between coping strategies three months after diagnosis (T2) and levels of MIL at the different moments in the cancer process (T1-T4).

Methods: We assessed MIL at diagnosis and three, six, and nine months after surgery, and coping strategies (fighting spirit, anxious preoccupation, hopelessness, fatalism, and cognitive avoidance) three months after surgery, in 115 women with a diagnosis of Stage I-III breast cancer.

Results: We found higher levels of MIL nine months after surgery, compared to previous stages. MIL correlated significantly and positively with a fighting spirit and cognitive avoidance, and negatively with hopelessness and anxious preoccupation.

Conclusions: Results highlight the importance of coping in relation to meaning-making processes in cancer. Meaning-centred interventions could help patients who are in the process of coping with cancer to make sense of their lives and the experience.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10293404PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07885-2DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

coping strategies
16
three months
16
months surgery
16
levels mil
12
meaning life
8
cancer diagnosis
8
mil people
8
higher levels
8
diagnosis three
8
fighting spirit
8

Similar Publications

Background: Smoking rates have declined markedly in Australia over time; however, lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women continue to smoke at higher rates than heterosexual women. Understanding the factors influencing smoking in this population is crucial for developing targeted cessation interventions and other supports.

Methods: Experiences of and motivations for smoking among 42 LBQ cisgender and transgender women and non-binary people in Australia who currently or previously smoked were explored through semi-structured interviews.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Studies around the world have reported that dental students experience higher stress compared to medical students. Prolonged and high perceived stress can be of a significant concern as it affects the personal, psychological, and professional well-being of the student, affecting quality of life. The aim of the study was to describe the perceived stress and coping strategies that undergraduate students at dental schools of Lahore, Pakistan employ.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Metastatic uveal melanoma (UM) patients often initially present with limited symptoms despite a poor prognosis, complicating communication with patients and caregivers. Early Together (NCT04728113) is a randomized Phase III trial that integrates early palliative care through systematic joint visits involving the palliative care team and the medical oncologist, compared with standard oncological care, in 162 metastatic UM patients beginning systemic treatment. This collaboration aims to enhance patient functioning, improve quality of life and facilitate coping mechanisms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pilot study on the development of digitally supported health promotion for seafarers on sea.

Int Marit Health

January 2025

Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Seewartenstraße 10, 20459 Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.

Background: Seafarers are exposed to a variety of job-specific physical and psychosocial stressors. Health promotion on board is of great importance for the salutogenesis of this occupational group. Due to the difficult accessibility of seafarers, electronically supported health management can be highly valuable.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Existing HIV-related literature affirms that Black women in the US have a low perceived risk of HIV. Yet, Black women consistently experience higher HIV incidence than other women. The ability of HIV risk perception to influence HIV prevention behaviors remains unclear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!