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Changes in finding benefit after cancer surgery and the prediction of well-being one year later

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  • Schwarzer, Ralf
  • Luszczynska, Aleksandra
  • Boehmer, Sonja
  • Taubert, Steffen
  • Knoll, Nina

Abstract

Critical life events, such as cancer surgery, may result in finding some benefit in one's fate. In this longitudinal study with 117 cancer patients (73 men, 44 women) in hospitals in Berlin, we addressed three questions. (1) Do patients report benefit finding after surgery? (2) Are changes in benefit finding related to patients' well-being? (3) Is social support associated with finding benefits in cancer? Patients were interviewed and completed a questionnaire in the week before cancer surgery. They were invited to participate in the follow-up by letter with a questionnaire at one month and again at 12 months postsurgery. Benefit finding was measured by a seven-item scale assessing different facets of positive changes attributed to experiencing grave illness. Although benefit finding increased over one year, change was substantial only for those who started off at a low level. Well-being was not associated with benefit finding at any point in time. However, changes in benefit finding predicted subsequent well-being. Received support was associated with benefit finding. Changes in benefit finding as well as initial support emerged as joint predictors of well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Schwarzer, Ralf & Luszczynska, Aleksandra & Boehmer, Sonja & Taubert, Steffen & Knoll, Nina, 2006. "Changes in finding benefit after cancer surgery and the prediction of well-being one year later," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(6), pages 1614-1624, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:63:y:2006:i:6:p:1614-1624
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    Cited by:

    1. Jung Joong Kang & Hyunho Lee & Bom Hui Park & Yu Kwan Song & Soon Eun Park & Robert Kim & Kyung Ah Lee, 2022. "Efficacy of a 4-Week Nurse-Led Exercise Rehabilitation Program in Improving the Quality of Life in Women Receiving a Post-Mastectomy Reconstruction Using the Motiva Ergonomix TM Round SilkSurface," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Scott Sonenshein & Utpal Dholakia, 2012. "Explaining Employee Engagement with Strategic Change Implementation: A Meaning-Making Approach," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(1), pages 1-23, February.
    3. Schrank, Beate & Bird, Victoria & Tylee, Andre & Coggins, Tony & Rashid, Tayyab & Slade, Mike, 2013. "Conceptualising and measuring the well-being of people with psychosis: Systematic review and narrative synthesis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 9-21.
    4. Marcin Rzeszutek & Ewa Gruszczyńska, 2022. "Trajectories of Posttraumatic Growth Following HIV Infection: Does One PTG Pattern Exist?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1653-1668, April.

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