Integrative model for self-perception of well-being in cancer

Abstract

Purpose

Continual illness uncertainty can affect how people perceive and interpret their well-being. Some cognitive and spiritual factors may be involved in the management of disruptive thoughts and emotions that can emerge during the experience of cancer.

Material and methods

An evidence-based integrative model was developed to evaluate and show the role that mindfulness, acceptance, self-efficacy, uncertainty, meaning, and purpose in life play in the self-perception of well-being in individuals with cancer. This evidence-based integrative model was conducted using relevant and selected studies.

Results

An integrative model for self-perception of well-being has been proposed. This model integrates evidence-based findings and provides clear principles for clinicians and researchers. This integrative model proposes that mindfulness, acceptance, self-efficacy perception, and uncertainty can predict how people with cancer perceive their well-being. The model also posits that meaning and purpose in life can act as mediators or moderators of this prediction.

Conclusions

This integrative model involves the multidimensionality of human beings and facilitates the understanding of some key factors for the design of therapeutic approaches such as Acceptance & Commitment Therapy or Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Mindfulness, acceptance, self-efficacy, uncertainty, meaning, and purpose in life can be highly relevant for clinical oncology.

• An integrative model is proposed to understand the combined influence of these factors on patients with cancer.

• This model may favor a better integration of well-known interventions, such as Mindfulness-based approaches, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (MCP).

Keywords:

• Cancer
• cognition
• emotion
• self-perception
• spirituality
• uncertainty
• well-being

Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to Veronica Melguizo Reyes for the graphical representation of this model (Figure 2).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

None.