Exploring posttraumatic growth and health-related quality of life among cancer patients

The doctoral thesis includes a cross-sectional and a longitudinal study. The cross-sectional study has been accomplished with the participation of 152 cancer patients. We wondered whether Hungarian cancer patients experience positive changes coming from the struggle with this serious illness, what the prevalence of PTG is, and what kind of associations there are between PTG and person-related and cancer-related variables. According to our results, the majority of patients (85%) experienced positive changes, at least to a moderate degree, as a result of their cancer. Among the cancer-related variables, undergoing a mastectomy or prostatectomy and greater subjective severity of cancer were significant predictors of higher PTG scores. Regarding person-related variables, we found that younger age, female gender (in some ways), and persons with higher Social/Family well-being experienced higher PTG. A longitudinal study analysing the changes in quality of life, PTG and fatigue has been realized with the participation of 91 cancer patients. The results from this analysis suggest that significant declines in HRQoL and fatigue are evident in the fifth/sixth week of RT treatment. However, by four to six weeks after RT had ended, these variables improved and returned to their baseline scores (except for Social/Family well-being, which did not return).A doktori értekezés egy keresztmetszeti és egy hosszmetszeti kutatást tartalmaz. Elsőként egy keresztmetszeti kutatást hajtottunk végre 152 daganatos beteg részvételével. Arra voltunk kíváncsiak, hogy a magyar betegek is észlelnek-e pozitív változásokat a rákkal való küzdelem eredményeként, és ha igen, akkor milyen gyakorisággal fordulnak elő ezek a változások a vizsgálati mintánk részét képező betegek körében, valamint milyen összefüggésben áll a PTN a személlyel és a betegséggel kapcsolatos változókkal. Eredményeink szerint a résztvevő személyek több mint 80%-a tapasztalt legalább közepes mértékű pozitív változást betegségének köszönhetően. A rákkal kapcsolatos változók közül a mastectomiát/prostatectomiát átélők és a magasabb szubjektív súlyosságérzetet megélők voltak azok, akik magasabb PTN értékről számoltak be. A személlyel kapcsolatos változókat tekintve elmondható, hogy a fiatalabb egyének, bizonyos esetekben a nők, és a magasabb Társas/Családi jóllétet megélők nagyobb mértékű pozitív változást tapasztaltak. Az értekezés második felében taglalt longitudinális kutatásban 91 daganatos beteg körében az egészséggel összefüggő életminőségben, a fáradtságérzésben és a PTN értékében bekövetkező változásokat vizsgáltuk meg. Eredményeink azt mutatták, hogy a sugárkezelés együtt járt az életminőségben, valamint a szubjektív fáradtságérzésben bekövetkező jelentős hanyatlással.d

ADOLESCENT DRUG USE, RELATIONAL VARIABLES AND PERSONALITY FACTORS

Objective: An ongoing issue in the study of adolescent drug use is the impact of family and the peer group on the problem of adolescent substance use. The present study has examined relative effects of these contexts as well as personality variables on drug use outcomes. Method: A test battery measuring various psychological variables was administered to a representative sample of 1652 secondary school students (grades 9 and 11), 876 male(mean age=17,61, SD=0.99) and 789 female (mean age=16.73, SD=1.31). Data about relationship to parents and association with deviant peers were collected, personality dimensions such as Neuroticism and Sensation Seeking were measured. Regressional and discriminant analyses were conducted, then a decision tree model was created. Results: Sensation seeking arose as the most significant predictor of substance use. Fatheradolescent relationship had the highest predictive value primarily in male sensation seekers. Peer effects were stronger in comparison to parental influences. In adolescent boys, contact with deviant friends and sensation seeking constituted two independent pathways to drug use. Conclusions: Our study highlights the necessity to give consideration to sensationseeking in prevention initiatives during adolescence, as well as the need for education of parents about parenting techniques recommended during adolescence

GRATITUDE, RELIGIOUSNESS AND WELL-BEING

Background: Previous researches have identified the positive effects of gratitude on happiness and well-being. It has been found that spirituality can enhance gratitude and well-being. Our study aimed to examine the link between gratitude and subjective wellbeing among religious and non-religious people. Furthermore we tested if a 4-week long gratitude diary has a positive effect on subjective well-being. Subjects and methods: In our online, qualitative investigation the sample consisted of 54 males and 169 females (mean age = 39.13, SD=15.90). 54.1% of respondents rel24.8igious on my own waynd 21.2% as -experimental group (leading a gratitude diary for 4 weeks) with 103 individuals and a control group with 120 individuals with no differences in age, gender and religiousness. We compared the questionna (filled out both before and after the intervention) of the experimental group (n=103) with the results of the control group (n=120) similarly filled out on two different occasions. We applied Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test and Subjective Well-being Scale. Results: Our results showed that religious people showed elevated level of gratitude (F(2, 219)=23.66, p<0.001) but same wellbeing (F(2, 219)=1.97, p=0.142) compared to non-religious groups. In the experiment group the gratitude and the subjective wellbeing both increased (p<0.01), and there was no significant changes in control group. 2x2 ANOVA showed significant interaction effect (Subjective well-being: (F(1, 221)=13.32, p<0.001); Gratitude: F(1, 221)=12.43, p<0.001). Conclusion: Religiousness is linked to higher gratitude and an increase in gratitude can result in an increase in subjective wellbeing. The importance of gratitude diary both among religious and non-religious people will be discussed

CANCER AS A SOURCE OF POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH: A BRIEF REVIEW

The diagnosis and treatment of cancer represents an experience that is potentially psychologically traumatizing for patients. However, cancer can contribute to the experience of positive psychological changes, namely posttraumatic growth. We conducted a review of empirical studies (n=44) on posttraumatic growth in cancer patients. We focused on the relations of posttraumatic growth to socio-demographic, medical, and psychological adjustment correlates. Results from forty-four reviewed articles indicated that age, gender, and ethnicity were consistently associated with posttraumatic growth in cancer. Regarding illness-related factors, the majority of relationships were positive and were found between subjective severity of cancer, chemotherapy, and experienced growth. The review revealed inconsistent relationships between indicators of psychological adjustment (emotional distress, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and quality of life) and perceived positive changes in the case of the cancer patients. Longitudinal studies might resolve this inconsistency by showing that posttraumatic growth has benefits for later psychological adjustment, as other studies have already documented

CANCER AS A SOURCE OF POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH: A BRIEF REVIEW

The diagnosis and treatment of cancer represents an experience that is potentially psychologically traumatizing for patients. However, cancer can contribute to the experience of positive psychological changes, namely posttraumatic growth. We conducted a review of empirical studies (n=44) on posttraumatic growth in cancer patients. We focused on the relations of posttraumatic growth to socio-demographic, medical, and psychological adjustment correlates. Results from forty-four reviewed articles indicated that age, gender, and ethnicity were consistently associated with posttraumatic growth in cancer. Regarding illness-related factors, the majority of relationships were positive and were found between subjective severity of cancer, chemotherapy, and experienced growth. The review revealed inconsistent relationships between indicators of psychological adjustment (emotional distress, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and quality of life) and perceived positive changes in the case of the cancer patients. Longitudinal studies might resolve this inconsistency by showing that posttraumatic growth has benefits for later psychological adjustment, as other studies have already documented