ArticlePloS one2013
Meaning making in cancer survivors: a focus group study.
Article in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Cancer patients' perceptions of the meaning in life: a qualitative meta-synthesis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Pooled it
- Do cancer patients use the term resilience? A systematic review of qualitative studies.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2019Pooled it
- Cost-utility analysis of meaning-centered group psychotherapy for cancer survivors.Psycho-oncology · 2018Trial
- Efficacy of meaning-centered group psychotherapy for cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.Psychological medicine · 2017Trial
- Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of meaning-centered group psychotherapy in cancer survivors: protocol of a randomized controlled trial.BMC psychiatry · 2014Trial
- Not Too Young to Understand: Meaning Making From the Perspectives of School-Aged Children With Cancer-A Scoping Review.Psycho-oncology · 2026Article
- Post-traumatic growth and cancer survivorship: experiences of living with treatment-related impairment.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- A formative evaluation of a brief intervention on meaning-making in the re-entry phase after curative cancer treatment.Palliative & supportive care · 2026Article
- Experiences of parents and adolescents throughout the solid-organ transplantation process: a focus group study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Quality of life in breast cancer survivors: An ambiguous loss perspective.Journal of family theory & review · 2025Article
- Losses Related to Breast Cancer Diagnosis: The Impact on Grief and Depression Symptomatology Within the Context of Hispanic/Latina Patients with Breast Cancer.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Getting back on track after treatment of cancer: A qualitative interview study of cancer survivors' experiences.PloS one · 2025Article
- Article
- Perceived and Received Social Support and Illness Acceptance Among Breast Cancer Patients: The Serial Mediation of Meaning-Making and Fear of Recurrence.Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine · 2024Article
- Improving the cancer adult patient support network (iCAN): a pilot study on a communication model and modified focus group.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Article
- Attributions of survival and methods of coping of long-term ovarian cancer survivors: a qualitative study.BMC women's health · 2021Article
- Meaning-centered group psychotherapy in Portuguese cancer patients: A pilot exploratory trial.Palliative & supportive care · 2021Article
- Meaning Making for Psychological Adjustment and Quality of Life in Older Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors.Frontiers in psychology · 2021Article
- Process of therapeutic changes in Meaning-Centered Group Psychotherapy adapted to the Portuguese language: A narrative analysis.Palliative & supportive care · 2020Article
- Construction of new personal meanings by cancer patients: a qualitative analysis in an Italian patient population.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2019Article
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7 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundConfrontation with a life-threatening disease like cancer can evoke existential distress, which can trigger a search for meaning in people after having survived this disease.
methodsIn an effort to gain more insight in the meaning making process, we conducted four focus groups with 23 cancer survivors on this topic. Participants responded to questions about experienced meaning making, perceived changes in meaning making after cancer and the perceived need for help in this area.
resultsMost frequently mentioned meaning making themes were relationships and experiences. We found that, in general, cancer survivors experienced enhanced meaning after cancer through relationships, experiences, resilience, goal-orientation and leaving a legacy. Some participants, however, also said to have (also) experienced a loss of meaning in their lives through experiences, social roles, relationships and uncertainties about the future.
conclusionsThe results indicated that there is a group of cancer survivors that has succeeded in meaning making efforts, and experienced sometimes even more meaning in life than before diagnosis, while there is also a considerable group of survivors that struggled with meaning making and has an unmet need for help with that. The results of this study contribute to develop a meaning centered intervention for cancer survivors.
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