Abstract
We evaluated whether a self-forgiving attitude and spirituality were related to psychological adjustment among 81 women being treated for breast cancer at a medical oncology clinic in a county general hospital. Both a self-forgiving attitude and spirituality were unique predictors of less mood disturbance and better quality of life (p's < 0.001). These results are consistent with previous research that has demonstrated a positive relationship between spirituality and well-being. The findings also suggest that self-forgiveness should be explored experimentally to determine whether it can protect against the psychological effects of breast cancer-related stress. Interventions targeting these characteristics could improve the quality of life and alleviate stress, especially in women with breast cancer in public sector settings.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 29-36 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Behavioral Medicine |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1 2006 |
Keywords
- Breast cancer
- Forgiveness
- Mood disturbance
- Quality of life
- Spirituality
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
- Psychiatry and Mental health