The existential plight of cancer: meaning making as a concrete approach to the intangible search for meaning

Lee, Virginia

doi:10.1007/s00520-007-0396-7

Cited by 147 publications

(131 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…According to literature, it seems that a cancer diagnosis is able to provoke a real exist ential crisis in one's life (LEE 2008). The possibility of death that arises together with the disease, makes one face their mortality, often for the first time in their life.…”

Section: The Existential Plight Of Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The possibility of death that arises together with the disease, makes one face their mortality, often for the first time in their life. The existential crisis is a phenomenon best characterised by the intensification of ruminative thoughts related to existence and non-existence (LEE 2008). Crisis evoked by cancer seems not to be culture-dependent: the same existential questions preoccupy patients in Australia (MCGRATH 2004), Japan (MORITA et al 2000), Great Britain (GRIFFITHS et al 2002) and North-America (HALSTEAD et al 2001).…”

Section: The Existential Plight Of Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…WESTMAN and colleagues (2006) pointed out that patients' reflections concentrated on the following topics: meaning of life, God/transcendence, health, work, relationships, sexuality. Although existential rumination is a universal phenomenon, the subjective distress can vary from person to person: often it is accompanied by a feeling of hopelessness, despair, and isolation (LEE 2008). VACHON (2008) pointed out that distress is not influenced by the objective prognosis of disease, rather by the fact whether the patient perceives the so called ʻglobal meaning' to be threatened.…”

Section: The Existential Plight Of Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These assumptions, positive illusions, remain unquestioned until a negative event occurs. When someone faces a cancer diagnosis, this set of beliefs is shaken (LEE 2008;COWARD 1997). The existential crisis turns into a search for meaning.…”

Section: The Existential Plight Of Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Relation of Perceived Meaning of Life, Meaning of Illness and Anxious-Depressive Symptoms among Cancer Patients

Elekes¹

2017

EJMH

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Our research is based on the literature that shows meaningfulness is a correlate of mental health both in the general population and in the case of patients with a serious illness such as cancer. We had two major goals: 1) to identify the meaning-categories patients find in their illness; 2) to test the relationships between perceived meaning of life, meaning of illness and negative indicators of well-being, like automatic thoughts, anxiety, depression in the case of a population of cancer patients from Romania.This study was completed in March-June of 2012. A number of 102 cancer patients, interned in the 'Ion Chiricuta' Oncology Institute in Romania, completed a battery of scales that measured perceived meaning of life (Meaning in Life Questionnaire, Meaning in Life after Cancer), the intensity of automatic thoughts (Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire), anxiety, depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and answered the question whether they found any meaning in their lives.We could identify the following categories of meaning patients found in their illness: character change, greater appreciation of life, change of priorities, spiritual growth, greater appreciation of close relationships, clarification of goals, development of self-knowledge.In accordance with the literature, our results show that perceived meaning of life (measured by MLaC), correlates negatively with automatic thoughts (r = -0.606), anxiety (r = -0.576), and depression (r = -0.542), and these relations are significant (p = 0.000). Patients who found their illness meaningful, found more meaning in their lives as well (t = 3.041, p = 0.003), and they showed lower levels of anxiety and depression, but these correlations are not significant (p = 0.567 and 0.116).Keywords: cancer patients, existential concerns, meaning of life, meaning of illness, anxiety, depression. Im Einklang mit der Literatur zeigen unsere Ergebnisse, dass der wahrgenommene Sinn des Lebens (gemessen mit MLaC) negativ mit automatischen Gedanken (r = -0,606), Angst (r = -0,576) und Depression (r = -0,542) korreliert und diese Relationen signifikant sind (p = 0,000). Patienten, die ihre Krankheit als sinnhaft empfanden, sahen auch in ihrem Leben insgesamt mehr Sinn (t = 3,041, p = 0,003) und hatten weniger Angst und Depressionen, wobei diese Korrelationen nicht signifikant sind (p = 0,567 and 0,116). Das Verhältnis zwischen dem wahrgenommenen Sinn des

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Section: The Existential Plight Of Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Existential Plight Of Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Existential Plight Of Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Existential Plight Of Cancermentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

The Relation of Perceived Meaning of Life, Meaning of Illness and Anxious-Depressive Symptoms among Cancer Patients

Elekes¹

2017

EJMH

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“…Positive mental health involves factors such as psychological well-being [4], experiencing a sense of meaning in life [5], posttraumatic growth [6], self-compassion [7], and flourishing [8]. Evidence on the importance of positive mental health for a successful adjustment to life after cancer is growing [9][10][11]. Studies show that positive mental health protects cancer survivors against distress and demoralization [12] and that it plays a role in mental recovery after the treatment phase [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive mental health among cancer survivors: overlap in psychological well-being, personal meaning, and posttraumatic growth

Holtmaat

Spek

Lissenberg‐Witte

et al. 2018

Support Care Cancer

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Purpose Positive mental health involves theoretical constructs like psychological well-being, personal meaning, and posttraumatic growth. This study aims to provide empirical insight into possible overlap between these constructs in cancer survivors. Methods Within the context of a randomized controlled trial, 170 cancer survivors completed the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB), Personal Meaning Profile (PMP), and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the subscales of these PROMs, as well as structural equation modeling (SEM), was used to explore overlap in these three constructs.Results The EFA resulted in a three-factor solution with an insufficient model fit. SEM led to a model with a high estimated correlation (0.87) between SPWB and PMP and lower estimated correlations with PTGI (respectively 0.38 and 0.47). Furthermore, the estimated correlation between the subscales relation with God (PMP) and spiritual change (PTGI) was high (0.92). This model had adequate fit indices (χ Conclusions The constructs psychological well-being and personal meaning overlap to a large extent in cancer survivors. Posttraumatic growth can be seen as a separate construct, as well as religiosity. These findings facilitate researchers to select the appropriate PROM(s) when testing the effect of a psychosocial intervention on positive mental health in cancer survivors. Relevance An increasing number of psychosocial intervention trials for cancer survivors use positive mental health outcomes. These constructs are often multifaceted and overlapping. Knowledge of this overlap is important in designing trials, in order to avoid the pitfalls of multiple testing and finding artificially strengthened associations. Netherlands Trial Register NTR3571

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Everything Is More Critical: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Young Breast Cancer Survivors

Raque‐Bogdan

Hoffman

Joseph

et al. 2018

Counseling and Values

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Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis at a young age has the potential to affect survivors' worldview and raise existential concerns. This qualitative study of 13 women diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 40 examined how they made meaning of the impact of their cancer experience. Implementing the consensual qualitative research methodology, the authors found themes related to challenges; coping strategies; reappraisal of self, relationships with others, and life roles; and changes in views and behaviors. These findings suggest the utility of existential counseling for young breast cancer survivors' adjustment posttreatment as they attempt to cultivate a sense of control.

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The existential plight of cancer: meaning making as a concrete approach to the intangible search for meaning

Abstract: The meaning-making intervention is presented as one concrete approach to address the normative distress associated with the search for meaning within the context of cancer.

Cited by 147 publications

References 59 publications

The Relation of Perceived Meaning of Life, Meaning of Illness and Anxious-Depressive Symptoms among Cancer Patients

The Relation of Perceived Meaning of Life, Meaning of Illness and Anxious-Depressive Symptoms among Cancer Patients

Positive mental health among cancer survivors: overlap in psychological well-being, personal meaning, and posttraumatic growth

Everything Is More Critical: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Young Breast Cancer Survivors

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