TY - JOUR
T1 - Seeking and experiencing meaning
T2 - Exploring the role of meaning in promoting mental adjustment and eudaimonic well-being in cancer patients
AU - Scrignaro, Marta
AU - Bianchi, Elisabetta
AU - Brunelli, Cinzia
AU - Miccinesi, Guido
AU - Ripamonti, Carla Ida
AU - Magrin, Maria Elena
AU - Borreani, Claudia
PY - 2013/6/13
Y1 - 2013/6/13
N2 - Objective: The present study is the result of theory-driven research investigating the role of the search for and presence of meaning in enhancing both mental adjustment and eudaimonic well-being in cancer patients. Method: A cross-sectional study involved 266 cancer patients currently in the treatment and management phase of their illness. Data were collected by a written questionnaire. The search for meaning was assessed with the Seeking of Noetic Goals Test, and the presence of meaning was assessed using the Purpose in Life Test. Mental adjustment to a cancer diagnosis was assessed by two subscales of the Italian version of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, and eudaimonic well-being was assessed with the Psychological Well-Being Scale. Correlation and mediation analyses based on five thousand bootstrapping samples were performed. Results: The mediation analyses showed that the presence of meaning totally or partially mediated the effect of the search for meaning on both mental adjustment and eudaimonic well-being. Further correlation analyses showed a high negative correlation between eudaimonic well-being and hopelessness. Significance of results: Our results appear relevant from both the theoretical and clinical points of view. They support a deeper understanding of the combined contribution of the search for and presence of meaning in promoting well-being in cancer patients. Simultaneously, they are consistent with suggestions from recent studies on the clinical psychology of posttraumatic growth and emphasize the relevance of eudaimonic well-being as a protective factor for hopelessness.
AB - Objective: The present study is the result of theory-driven research investigating the role of the search for and presence of meaning in enhancing both mental adjustment and eudaimonic well-being in cancer patients. Method: A cross-sectional study involved 266 cancer patients currently in the treatment and management phase of their illness. Data were collected by a written questionnaire. The search for meaning was assessed with the Seeking of Noetic Goals Test, and the presence of meaning was assessed using the Purpose in Life Test. Mental adjustment to a cancer diagnosis was assessed by two subscales of the Italian version of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, and eudaimonic well-being was assessed with the Psychological Well-Being Scale. Correlation and mediation analyses based on five thousand bootstrapping samples were performed. Results: The mediation analyses showed that the presence of meaning totally or partially mediated the effect of the search for meaning on both mental adjustment and eudaimonic well-being. Further correlation analyses showed a high negative correlation between eudaimonic well-being and hopelessness. Significance of results: Our results appear relevant from both the theoretical and clinical points of view. They support a deeper understanding of the combined contribution of the search for and presence of meaning in promoting well-being in cancer patients. Simultaneously, they are consistent with suggestions from recent studies on the clinical psychology of posttraumatic growth and emphasize the relevance of eudaimonic well-being as a protective factor for hopelessness.
KW - Adjustment
KW - Cancer
KW - Eudaimonic well-being
KW - Meaning made
KW - Meaning making
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U2 - 10.1017/S1478951514000406
DO - 10.1017/S1478951514000406
M3 - Article
C2 - 24825576
AN - SCOPUS:84945446367
VL - 13
SP - 673
EP - 681
JO - Palliative and Supportive Care
JF - Palliative and Supportive Care
SN - 1478-9515
IS - 3
ER -