Finding meaning in suffering?—Meaning making and psychological adjustment over the course of a breast cancer disease

摘要

This study aimed to explore individual meaning systems in the course of a breast cancer disease to test the assumed positive relation between meaning and well‐being and to investigate the relationship between post‐traumatic growth and well‐being. A total of 65 patients with breast cancer were examined 1?year after initial treatment and another year follow‐up. Questionnaires addressed meaning in life ( MLQ ), anxiety and depression ( HADS ), satisfaction with life ( SWLS ), health‐related quality of life ( EQ ‐5D, EORTC ) and post‐traumatic growth ( PTGI ). Personal meaning systems were assessed using a qualitative method. In the personal meaning systems with well‐being and relationships as the most frequently named meaning categories, the experienced gains far outweigh the losses sustained as a result of the disease. A stronger sense of meaning was related to lower levels of anxiety and depression, a higher level of satisfaction with life and better health‐related functioning. Well‐being and post‐traumatic growth were mostly independent. Reported losses were strongly related to a poorer well‐being. Cancer can induce a process of personal growth, and a strong sense of purpose could facilitate psychological adjustment. The often claimed correlation of post‐traumatic growth and a better psychological adjustment is still lacking clear evidence, whereas losses proofed to be crucial.