Spiritually-oriented coping methods

A quantitative study of the spiritually-oriented coping methods among cancer patients in Sweden

In this study, questionnaires are distributed among persons who are/were diagnosed with cancer in Sweden; in total 2355 people have answered. The results show that nature has been the most important coping method among cancer patients in Sweden.

The highest mean value (2.9) is the factor "that nature has been an important resource to you so that you could deal with your illness "; Two out of three of the respondents (68 percent) respond that this method in a large or quite a large extent helped them feel better during or after illness. The second highest average (2.8) is the factor "Listening to 'natural music '(birdsong and the wind) ". 66 percent answered that this coping method in a large or quite a large extent helped them feel better during illness. In third place with the third highest average (2.7), is "To walk or engage in any activity outdoors gives you a spiritual sense."

In the study - based on the findings of a qualitative study among cancer patients in Sweden (Ahmadi 2006) — it is conducted a quantitative survey to examine to what extent the results are applicable to a wider population of cancer patients in Sweden. In addition to questions relating to the former qualitative study we have also used the RCOPE questionnaire - designed by Kenneth I Pargament in the design of the new quantitative study.

The outcomes of the survey study concerning the role of the nature as the most important coping method with cancer confirms the result obtained from the previous qualitative studies.

Responsible researcher

Fereshteh Ahmadi

Coworker

Nader Ahmadi, department of social work and psychology, University of Gävle