The Relationships Between Illness-Related Variables and Flourishing: A Psycho-Oncological Study

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships between cancer stage and physical symptoms with mental health and distress emotions among persons with solid tumors.
Participants were administered the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) – Identity Scale, the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF), and the Distress Thermometer. Descriptives analyses, correlations, chi-square tests, t and Mann-Whitney tests were performed.
176 persons (84% female, mean age=58.01), predominantly with breast (54%) localized (66%) cancer significantly differed in illness identity (U=3929.5, p=0.003), anger (U=3980.0, p=0.003), hedonic, psychological, eudaimonic and total well-being (U=2456.0, p=0.03; U=2192.0, p=0.002; t(166)=2.2, p=0.03; t(166)=2.3; p=0.02) at different cancer stages. No associations emerged between cancer stage and flourishing. Flourishing and non-flourishing patients differed in physical symptoms (U=2504.0, p=0.03), stress, (U=2251.0, p=0.001), anxiety (U=2298.0, p=0.002), depression (U=1907.0, p<0.001), anger (U=2397.0, p=0.009) and help needed (U=2574.0; p=0.44).
Results showed the independent observation of flourishing related dimensions across symptoms and cancer stage. This awareness integrates practice.