Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of perceived threats, optimism, and meaning in life on cancer patient's posttraumatic growth. This study also aimed to examine the relationship between each variable, and to search for posttraumatic growth's process. The participants were 169 cancer patients and they each completed a measure of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Life Orientation Test-Revised, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and death anxiety and the stage of cancer as perceived threat. The data were analyzed by correlation analysis, hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation modeling. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, the current death anxiety was negatively associated with posttraumatic growth. The stage of cancer was positively associated with posttraumatic growth. Death anxiety at the time of cancer diagnosis, however, was not significantly associated with posttraumatic growth. Second, both optimism and meaning in life were significantly associated with posttraumatic growth. The meaning in life also mediated the relation between optimism and posttraumatic growth. These results suggest that psychological intervention is as important as physical intervention for cancer patients. Finally, the limitations of this study were discussed along with suggestions for further research. (Korean J Str Res 2016;24:1∼11)

• Keywords: Posttraumatic growth, Perceived threat, Optimism, Meaning in life, Cancer patients;