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Beyond the bucket list: Unfinished and business among advanced cancer patients.

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Title: Beyond the bucket list: Unfinished and business among advanced cancer patients.
Authors: Masterson, Melissa P., Slivjak, Elizabeth, Jankauskaite, Greta, Breitbart, William, Pessin, Hayley, Schofield, Elizabeth, Holland, Jason, Lichtenthal, Wendy G.
Source: Psycho-Oncology. Nov2018, Vol. 27 Issue 11, p2573-2580. 8p. 4 Charts.
Subjects: Cancer patient medical care, Thematic analysis, Psychosocial factors, Oncology, Regression analysis
Abstract: Objective: The study aims to examine the prevalence and common themes of unfinished business (UB) and its associations with distress among advanced cancer patients.Methods: A total of 223 patients from a larger randomized controlled trial of Individual Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (IMCP) completed self-report questionnaires that assessed UB and UB-related distress, hopelessness, desire for hastened death, anxiety and depression, quality of life, spiritual well-being, and purpose/meaning. Unfinished business themes were identified by qualitative analysis of open-ended data.Results: A total of 161 (72%) patients reported the presence of UB. The mean UB-related distress score was 7.01 (SD = 2.1) out of 10. Results of independent t tests showed that patients with UB reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of existential transcendence than patients without UB. Linear regression equations indicated that UB-related distress significantly predicted hopelessness (F1,154  = 9.54, P < 0.05, R2  = 0.058), anxiety (F1,154  = 4.31, P < 0.05, R2  = 0.027), personal meaning (F1,136  = 6.18, P < 0.05, R2  = 0.043), and existential transcendence (F1,119  = 6.7, P < 0.05, R2  = 0.053). Ten UB themes emerged from open-ended responses; UB themes were not associated with UB-related distress or psychological adjustment.Conclusions: Unfinished business was both prevalent and distressing in our sample. Findings underscore the need to develop and implement interventions designed to help patients resolve or find solace with UB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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Abstract:<bold>Objective: </bold>The study aims to examine the prevalence and common themes of unfinished business (UB) and its associations with distress among advanced cancer patients.<bold>Methods: </bold>A total of 223 patients from a larger randomized controlled trial of Individual Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (IMCP) completed self-report questionnaires that assessed UB and UB-related distress, hopelessness, desire for hastened death, anxiety and depression, quality of life, spiritual well-being, and purpose/meaning. Unfinished business themes were identified by qualitative analysis of open-ended data.<bold>Results: </bold>A total of 161 (72%) patients reported the presence of UB. The mean UB-related distress score was 7.01 (SD = 2.1) out of 10. Results of independent t tests showed that patients with UB reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of existential transcendence than patients without UB. Linear regression equations indicated that UB-related distress significantly predicted hopelessness (F1,154  = 9.54, P < 0.05, R2  = 0.058), anxiety (F1,154  = 4.31, P < 0.05, R2  = 0.027), personal meaning (F1,136  = 6.18, P < 0.05, R2  = 0.043), and existential transcendence (F1,119  = 6.7, P < 0.05, R2  = 0.053). Ten UB themes emerged from open-ended responses; UB themes were not associated with UB-related distress or psychological adjustment.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Unfinished business was both prevalent and distressing in our sample. Findings underscore the need to develop and implement interventions designed to help patients resolve or find solace with UB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:10579249
DOI:10.1002/pon.4821