<b>Thesis: "Spirituality and quality of life in breast cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment: a multifactor analysis</b>".
Creators: name: Fuller, Amy
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 520303
subject: Counselling psychology
classificationCode: 520304
subject: Health psychology
classificationCode: 420313
subject: Mental health services
classificationCode: 321102
subject: Cancer diagnosis
classificationCode: 321110
subject: Radiation therapy
classificationCode: 321104
subject: Cancer therapy (excl. chemotherapy and radiation therapy)
classificationCode: 500405
subject: Religion, society and culture

description: Amy M. Fuller, PhDDoctoral Thesis, Marriage &amp; Family Therapy, Department of Counseling, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas, 2006.Dissertation Advisor: H. Ray Wooten, Ph.D. (Professor, Department of Counseling, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, TX, USA)Committee Members: Randall Lyle, Ph.D. (Professor, Department of Counseling, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, TX, USA); Charles R. Thomas, Jr., M.D. (Professor &amp; Chair, Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health &amp; Science University, Portland, OR, USA).Presented as a Conference Presentation at the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS) 4th Annual Conference with abstract publication as "Spirituality and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation Treatment: Preliminary Multifactor Analysis" Fuller AM, Wooten HR, Lyle R, Fuller CD,Thomas CR. <i>Psycho-Oncology</i> 16: S36-37 (2007) doi.org/10.1002/pon.1163 (attached).<br><b>Summary</b><br>Although medical professionals and cancer patients acknowledge the importance of spiritual aspects of care, spirituality lacks formal recognition as a valid component of quality of life by both professionals and patients. This study focuses on the relationship between the self-reported quality of life and self-reported spirituality of 30 breast cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment. The research design is longitudinal in nature and measures temporal changes in quality of life or spirituality over the course of treatment through a retrospective pre- and post-test analysis of archival data stored within the electronic medical records in the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, located physically within the Cancer Therapy and Research Center. In addition to exploring the relationship of spirituality and quality of life, this study also evaluated other factors such as gender, ethnicity, marital status, and cancer stage and their impact on both spirituality and quality of life over the course of treatment. The results of this study illustrate not only the complexity of the relationship between quality of life and spirituality for cancer patients, but also illustrate the complexity of the constructs themselves. Although a positive relationship exists between these dimensions, it is not straightforward or clear-cut. This study suggests the following: (1) support for the implications of negative religious coping on emotional well-being, (2) strong social and family networks leading to higher quality of life and (3) the relationship between spirituality and quality of life is less strongly correlated after a course of radiation. Some results are distinctive from that found in current literature. However, the ultimate conclusion of this study is a call for more investigative efforts in terms of these dimensions.Thesis includes 112 pages; Includes bibliographical references (pages 84-108), tables, figures and appendices.