A Study of Spirituality, Self-forgiveness and Self-blame in the Quality of Life of Patients with Breast Cancer

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 FirrozgarHospital ,Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.

2 Razavi Cancer Research Center, Razavi Hospital, Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran

3 Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran

4 Bone and Joint Reconstruction Research Center, Shafa Orthopedic Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Considering that the health and illness of women can directly affect the general health of the family and society, and the problems originated from this disease not only affect the patients, but also exert a deleterious effect on the members of the family and undermine the foundation of the family. Thus, research on factors associated with the psychological issues of these patients can urge policy makers and healthcare professionals to pay greater attention to this issue. The aim of this study is to determine whether the quality of life of patients with breast cancer could be predicted by spirituality, self-forgiveness and self-blame. Methods: This is a descriptive correlational study in which 120 cancer patients admitted to two university hospitals were selected using cluster-sampling method. The research instruments were the Paloutzian and Ellison’s Spiritual Well-Being Scale (1), self-forgiveness and self-blame scales and World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. According to the level of data and statistical assumptions, multiple linear regression was used to test the hypotheses Results: The results of statistical analysis showed that the components of spiritual wellness, existential wellness, anxiety control and realistic perception were related to the quality of life at a significantly level of 5%. The positive value of these coefficients actually indicates that by improving these components, the quality of life could be enhanced. Also, it was found that negative attitude and self-blame were in a negative relationship with the quality of life. Conclusion: The present study investigated the relationship between spirituality, self-forgiveness and self-blame with quality of life, with the results indicating that personal-level variables, i.e. spirituality, self-forgiveness and self-blame affect the quality of life

Keywords


  1. Robinson, L., Kocum, L., Loughlin, C., Bryson, L., & Dimoff, J. K. I wanted you to know: Breast cancer survivors’ control of workplace communication about cancer. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 2015; 20(4):446-456.
  1. Brunet, J., O’Loughlin, J. L., Gunnell, K. E., & Sabiston, M. Physical activity and depressive symptoms after breast cancer: Cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships. Health Psychology 2018;37(1):14-23.
  2. Shirvani, H., Alhani, and Montazeri, A. Effect of family-centered empowerment  model  on   the   scales of quality of life in women with breast cancer under chemotherapy, Journal of Breast Diseases 2017;1 (10):61- 72.
  3. Hossein Zadeh., Z, Kakavand, A. and Ahmadi, A.J. Mediating role of mother’s consciousness and family resilience in relation to the behavioral problems of children with autism spectrum disorders and mother’s psychological well-being. Psychology of the exceptional Quarterly 2016; 23: 151-178.
  4. Hoerger, M., Chapman, B. , Mohile, S. G., & Duberstein, P. R.Development and psychometric evaluation of the Decisional Engagement Scale (DES-10(: A patient-reported psychosocial survey for qualitycancer care. Psychological Assessment 2016; 28(9):1087-1100.
  5. Lu, Q., Wong, C. Y., Gallagher, M. W., Tou, R.
  6. W., Young, L., & Loh, A. Expressive writing among Chinese American breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial. Health Psychology 2017; 36(4):370-379.
  7. Omidvari S. Spiritual health; concepts and challenges. Specialty Quran Interdisciplinary Res 2008; 1:6–17. (Persian(
  8. Taghadosi M, Fahimifar A. The effect of life review therapy with a spiritual approach on quality of life among cancer patients 2014;18(2): 136-44. (Persian(
  9. Litwinczuk KM, Groh CJ. The relationship between spirituality, purpose in life, and well-being in HIVpositive persons. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care 2007;18(3):13-22.
  10. Cook, C. C. H. Religion and spirituality in clinical practice. The British Journal of psychiatry Advances 2015;21(1): 42-50.
  11. Richards PS, Bergin AE.A spiritual strategy for counseling and psychotherapy. 2nd ed. Washington: American Psychological Association.
  12. Cheadle, A.C.D.,& Schetter, C.H. Untangling the mechanisms underlying the links between religiousness, spirituality, and better health. Educational psychology 2017; 11(2).
  13. Friedman L, Barber C, Chang J, Tham Y, Kalidas  M, Rimawi M, et al. Self-blame, Self-forgiveness, and Spirituality in Breast Cancer Survivors in a Public Sector Setting. J Canc Educ 2010; 25:343–348.
  14. Costanzo ES, Lutgendorf SK, Bradley SL et al. Cancer attributions, distress, and health practices among gynecologic cancer survivors. Psychosom Med 2007; 7:972–980.
  15. Block KI, Dafter R, Greenwald Cancer, the mind, and the problem of self-blame. Int Cancer Ther 2006; 5:123–130.
  16. Janoff-Bulman R, Wortman Attributions of blame and coping in the “real world”: severe accident victims react to their lot. J Person Soc Psychol 1977; 35:351–363.
  17. Enright The Human Development Study Group Counseling within the forgiveness triad: on forgiving, receiving orgiveness, and self-forgiveness. Couns Values 1996; 40:107–126.

19. Romero C, Friedman LC, Kalidas M et al. Self- forgiveness, spirituality, and psychological adjustment in women with breast cancer. J Behav Med 2006; 29:29–36.

20. Friedman LC, Romero C, Elledge R et al. Attribution of blame, self-forgiving attitude and psychological adjustment in women with breast cancer. J Behav Med 2007; 30:351– 357.

21. Yanez B, Edmondson D, Stanton AL et al. Facets of spirituality as predictors of adjustment to cancer: relative contributions of having faith and finding meaning. J Consult Clin Psychol 2009; 77:730–741.

22. Skevington SM, Lotfy M, O’Connell KA. WHOQOL Group. The World Health Organization’s WHOQOL- BREF quality of life assessment: psychometric properties and results of the international field trial. A report from the WHOQOL Group. Qual Life Res. Mar 2004;13(2):299- 310.

23. Malcarne VL, Compas BE, Epping-Jordan JE et al. Cognitive factors in adjustment to cancer: attributions of selfblame and perceptions of control. J Behav Med 1995; 18:401–41