Relations of meaning in life and sense of coherence to distress in cancer patients: a meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Cancer patients report high rates of distress. The related constructs of meaning in life (MiL) and sense of coherence (SOC) have long been recognized as important factors in the psychological adjustment to cancer; however, both constructs' associations with distress have not been quantitatively reviewed or compared in this population. Informed by Park's integrated meaning-making model and Antonovsky's salutogenic model, the goals of this meta-analysis were the following: (1) to compare the strength of MiL-distress and SOC-distress associations in cancer patients; and (2) to examine potential moderators of both associations (i.e., age, gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disease stage, and time since diagnosis).

Methods

A literature search was conducted using

SUBMITTER: Winger JG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4575247 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature