4 results
Cardiovascular disease and meaning in life: A systematic literature review and conceptual model
- Joel Vos
-
- Journal:
- Palliative & Supportive Care / Volume 19 / Issue 3 / June 2021
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 07 May 2021, pp. 367-376
-
- Article
- Export citation
-
Objectives
Previous studies have shown that psychological stress and mental health problems increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, such as heart attack or stroke. Furthermore, after CVD events, the majority of patients report large stress. However, psychological treatments have only modest effects in CVD patients. Therefore, it has been argued that new conceptual models are needed to understand the aetiology of stress and mental health problems in CVD patients. Therefore, this study included a systematic literature review and a conceptual model on the role of meaning in life for psychological stress, mental health, and CVD risks.
MethodsA systematic literature review was conducted on relationships between CVD and meaning in life. PRISMA/MOOSE review guidelines were followed. These findings were used to build a conceptual model.
ResultsThe literature review included 113 studies on meaning and CVD. The included studies described meaning as a predictor of cardiovascular risks and health, meaning-centered needs of patients in conversations with medical staff, meaning-centered changes after CVD events, meaning-centered coping with CVD, meaning as motivator of CVD-related lifestyle changes, and meaning as an element in psychological treatments of CVD patients. In sum, the literature showed that a central clinical concern for patients is their question how to live a meaningful life despite CVD. Meaning-centered concerns seem to lead to lower motivation to make lifestyle changes, more psychological stress, lower quality-of-life, worse physical well-being, and increased CVD risk. The ability to live a meaningful life after CVD events is related with lower stress, better mental health, and several biomarkers.
Significance of resultsAn evidence-based conceptual framework was developed for the relationship between meaning and CVD. It may be hypothesized CVD patients may benefit from psychological therapies focused on meaning.
The effects of psychological meaning-centered therapies on quality of life and psychological stress: A metaanalysis
- Joël Vos, Diego Vitali
-
- Journal:
- Palliative & Supportive Care / Volume 16 / Issue 5 / October 2018
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 24 September 2018, pp. 608-632
-
- Article
- Export citation
-
Objective:
Many psychotherapists speak with clients about meaning in life. Meaning is an neutral evidence-based term for a subjective sense of purpose, values, understanding, self-worth, action-directed goals, and self-regulation. Since little is known about its effectiveness, our study aimed to determine the effects of meaning-centered therapies (MCTs) on improving quality of life and reducing psychological stress.
Method:Independent researchers selected and scored articles in multiple languages in multiple search engines. Weighted pooled mean effects were calculated following a random-effects model. Sensitivity analyses included moderators, study and sample characteristics, risk of bias, randomization, types of MCT, control condition, and outcome instruments.
Results:Some 52,220 citations included 60 trials (total sample N = 3,713), of which 26 were randomized controlled trials (N = 1,975), 15 nonrandomized controlled trials (N = 709), and 19 nonrandomized noncontrolled trials with pre/post measurements (N = 1,029). Overall analyses showed large improvements from baseline to immediate posttreatment and follow-up on quality of life (Hedges' g = 1.13, SE = 0.12; g = 0.99, SE = 0.20) and psychological stress (g = 1.21, SE = 0.10; g = 0.67, SE = 0.20). As effects varied between studies, further analyses focused only on controlled trials: MCT had large effect sizes compared to control groups, both immediate and at follow-up, on quality of life (g = 1.02, SE = 0.06; g = 1.06, SE = 0.12) and psychological stress (g = 0.94, SE = 0.07, p < 0.01; g = 0.84, SE = 0.10). Immediate effects were larger for general quality of life (g = 1.37, SE = 0.12) than for meaning in life (g = 1.18, SE = 0.08), hope and optimism (g = 0.80, SE = 0.13), self-efficacy (g = 0.89, SE = 0.14), and social well-being (g = 0.81, SE = 13). The homogeneity of these results was validated by the lack of significance of moderators and alternative ways of selecting studies. Metaregression analyses showed that increases in meaning in life predicted decreases in psychological stress (β = –0.56, p < 0.001).
Significance of results:MCT strongly improves quality of life and reduces psychological stress. MCT should be made more widely available, particularly to individuals in transitional moments in life or with a chronic or life-threatening physical illness as they explicitly report meaning-centered concerns.
Contributors
-
- By Masoud Azodi, Patricia Baetens, Steven Bayer, Joel Bernstein, Jonathan D. Black, Christophe Blockeel, Carolien M. Boomsma, Birgit Borgström, Mark Bowman, Nicholas Brook, Elisabeth Carlsen, Peter Carne, Ying Cheong, Jen-Ruei Chen, Erin Clark, S. Alberto Dávila Garza, Sunita De Sousa, Michel De Vos, Leo Doherty, Patricio Donoso, Cindy M. P. Duke, Human M. Fatemi, Alison Fernbach, Juan A. Garcia-Velasco, Elizabeth S. Ginsburg, Dorothy A. Greenfeld, William M. Hague, Daniel Hajioff, Tristan Hardy, Catherine Henry, Outi Hovatta, John Hutton, Gordana Ivanovic, Sameer Jatkar, Shilpa Jesudason, Theo Joseph, Amanda Kallen, Sonal Karia, Bala Karunakaran, Jenneke C. Kasius, Ben Kroon, Dimitra Kyrou, Robert Lahoud, Jennifer M Levine, Inge Liebaers, Shane T. Lipskind, Derek Lok, Nick S. Macklon, Manveen (Manny) Mangat, Tom P. Manolitsas, S. McDowell, Cherise Mooy, Mark R. Morton, Andrew Murray, Robert J. Norman, Sara Ornaghi, Israel Ortega, Michael J. Paidas, Evaggelos Papanikolaou, Pasquale Patrizio, Sofie Piessens, Biljana Popovic Todorovic, Luk Rombauts, Katrina Rowan, Denny Sakkas, P. Sanhueza, Kirsten Tryde Schmidt, Mark Teoh, Hammed A. Tijani, Jelena Todorovic, Saioa Torrealday, Herman Tournaye, Geoffrey Trew, W. Verpoest, Veerle Vloeberghs, A. Yazdani
- Edited by Nick S. Macklon, University of Southampton, Human M. Fatemi, Robert J. Norman, University of Adelaide, Pasquale Patrizio
-
- Book:
- Case Studies in Assisted Reproduction
- Published online:
- 05 February 2015
- Print publication:
- 22 January 2015, pp ix-xiv
-
- Chapter
- Export citation
Meaning and existential givens in the lives of cancer patients: A philosophical perspective on psycho-oncology
- Joël Vos
-
- Journal:
- Palliative & Supportive Care / Volume 13 / Issue 4 / August 2015
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 26 June 2014, pp. 885-900
-
- Article
- Export citation
-
Objective:
Many cancer patients report changes in how they experience meaning in life and being confronted with life's limitations, understanding themselves as being vulnerable, finite, and free beings. Many would like to receive psychotherapeutic help for this. However, psychotherapy for these concerns often either focuses primarily on meaning in life (e.g., meaning-centered/logotherapy) or on existential givens (e.g., supportive–expressive therapy). The relationship between meaning in life and existential givens seems relatively unexplored, and it seems unclear how therapists can integrate them. The present article aims to explore the relationship between meaning and existential givens.
Method:Martin Heidegger was a founder of existentialism, inspiring both meaning therapies and supportive–expressive therapies. Therefore, we systematically apply his understanding of these phenomena, elucidated by four elements in his central metaphor of “the house.”
Results:(1) Walls: In everyday life, we construct ordinary meanings, like the walls of a house, to protect us from our surroundings, wind, and rain. (2) Surroundings (“existential givens”): Confronted with cancer, the meanings/walls of this house may collapse; people may start seeing their surroundings and understand that they could have built their house at a different location, that is, they understand the broad range of possibilities in life, their responsibility to choose, and the contingency of current meanings. (3) How to design, build, and dwell: People may design, build, and dwell in their house in different ways: they may lock themselves in their house of impermeable “ordinary meanings” and deny the existence of existential surroundings; they may feel overwhelmed by all possibilities and be unable to experience meaning; they may build the house as their true home, use life's possibilities, and listen to their true self by building permeable “existential meanings.” (4). Navigator: People may experience inner guidance to navigate in designing, building, and dwelling in this house.
Significance of results:Meaning in life and existential givens are intertwined. Therefore, we suggest that it is necessary for psycho-oncologists to address both. Further clinical validation is required.