Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing

Shiksha Anand ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, Lucknow University, Lucknow, U. P., IN

Abstract

Breast cancer is not only a serious physical disease, but it is often an emotionally draining disease as well. Pain has an overwhelming effect on the quality of life of a person. . Pain often involves all aspects of a person's life including physical, psychological and emotional state; disrupting daily activities, work, finances, social, marital and family life and relationships (Marcus, 2000). The present paper aims at studying the impact of meaning in life on the intensity of pain among breast cancer patients. The present study is co-relational in nature. The sample for the study was 100 breast cancer patients of stage II and III undergoing treatment. The Indian adaptation of Meaning in Life scale (Warner&Williams, 1987) and West Haven Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (Kerns, Turk and Rudy, 1985) was used. Results showed that respondents have above average level of pain and below average level of meaning in life. The co-relational analysis depicts a negative correlation of meaning in life and pain. Sub-group analysis will be done to compare the pain of respondents having high and low meaning in life. The findings suggest that meaning may be an important mechanism in adjustment to higher level of pain caused by cancer. Therefore there is a need for developing a suitable intervention program for the enhancement of meaning in life so that the pain can be managed by breast cancer patients.

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Shiksha Anand ¹, M. Pradhan ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, Lucknow University, Lucknow, IN

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of life's most difficult and dispiriting event leading to physical suffering and psychological distress. For treating breast cancer, mostly the physical aspect of illness is concerned while ignoring the psychological and the spiritual component. While the cancer experience does not always leads to depression, it has been identified as a risk for depression (Raison & Miller, 2003). In the clinical setting of cancer, meaning in life may well have a central role in the life changes the illness experience brings about. Meaning in life can assist coping by offering a framework, perspective, and counterbalance to the challenge of illness. The present study aims at identifying the different dimensions of meaning in life i.e. harmony and peace; life perspective, purpose and goal; confusion and lessened meaning; and benefits of spirituality, as the predictors of depression among breast cancer patients. Sample for the study was the stage II and III 200 breast cancer patients with age range of 40-70 years. The Indian adaptation of Meaning in life scale (Warner & Williams, 1987) and Beck Depression Inventory- II (Beck et al, 1996) was used. The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that life perspective, purpose and goal; and confusion and lessened meaning came out as significant predictors of depression among breast cancer patients. The study implies a need for designing an intervention program to enhance meaning in life so as to minimize depression among breast cancer patients.

Keywords

Meaning in Life, Depression, Breast Cancer.

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