maryam omidbeygi

The purpose of this research was to investigate the structural relationship between post-traumatic growth, resilience, adjustment, psychological flexibility and quality of life in patients with cancer in a causal model.

350 cancer patients from Alborz province were selected based on study inclusion criteria. Data were collected using Tedeschi and Calhoun PTG scales, Conner-Dodsonchr('39')s Resilience Scale, Mini-Mc Cancer Adjustment Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General (FACT-G) Scale, and psychological flexibility and psychological Inflexibility Scale.

Data analysis using path analysis method indicated that the proposed model is well-fitted with data. Based on the findings, PTG predicted the quality of life in patients with cancer. Also, psychological flexibility also directly predicted PTG through resiliency and adjustment. Furthermore, adjustment predicted patientschr('39') quality of life both directly and indirectly through post-traumatic growth. In this regard, the direct path of resilience to adjustment, and adjustment to PTG was statistically significant. The results of this study indicate that psychological flexibility predicts PTG not only directly but also indirectly through resilience and adjustment, while PTG itself can predict the quality of life in patients with cancer. Resilience can indirectly improve PTG in patients with cancer through adjustment.

This study was the first structural equation modeling of Post Traumatic Growth based on Psychological flexibility The model showed that in addition positive effect of psychological flexibility on post traumatic growth, it can improve adjustment in cancer patients and both of them can improve quality of life in them. So, the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), that improve Psychological flexibility can use for improving the Post Traumatic Growth, adjustment and quality of life in cancer patients and can provide a supportive care for them.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of death among women with many physical and psychological complications, decreasing the patient’s quality of life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy on the psychological flexibility, post-traumatic growth and quality of life in patients with breast cancer.

In a randomized clinical trial design with pre-test - post-test - fallow up paradigm, a sample of 30 breast cancer patients referred to the Alborz province hospitals selected (summer 2018) and randomly were divided into experiment and control groups after gaining inclusion criteria. Acceptance and commitment based treatment protocol was performed in 10 sessions for the experimental group and the control  receive no intervention. The psychological flexibility (MFPI), post-traumatic growth (PTG) and quality of life (FACT-B) questionnaires completed by patients before and after therapeutic interventions and in the follow-up phase.

The results of mixed analysis of variance showed that the experimental group participants had a significantly higher scores of psychological flexibility, post-traumatic growth and quality of life than the control group. Also, the scores of these variables changed significantly over time from pre-test to follow-up. The interaction of the group in time showed that the participants of the experimental group obtained significantly higher scores in all variables than the control group in the post-test and follow-up stages, which indicated a regular interaction.

Acceptance and commitment therapy is effective on psychological flexibility, posttraumatic growth and quality of life in the breast cancer patients and can be used to improve the quality of life in these patients.