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Religiousness and Spirituality in Coping with Cancer

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Psychological Aspects of Cancer

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Abstract

This chapter examines religious/spiritual coping strategies and how these are related to illness adjustment in patients with cancer. The use of religious/spiritual resources may be particularly prevalent when dealing with the stress of a cancer diagnosis. It can serve multiple functions in long-term adjustment; it may provide meaning, comfort, and hope but may also be harmful if patients perceive their illness as a punishment or if God is seen as weak, distant, or uncaring. If religious coping turns out to be helpful or even harmful to patients, it may be beneficial for healthcare professionals to acknowledge and support patients’ religious and spiritual needs. Indeed, addressing the psychosocial needs of patients with cancer has become routine in clinical practice in recent years; however, addressing religious/spiritual concerns is still not commonplace despite recommendations and evidence of their importance.

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    Ingela C. V. Thuné-Boyle

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    Brian I. Carr

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Thuné-Boyle, I.C.V. (2022). Religiousness and Spirituality in Coping with Cancer. In: Steel, J.L., Carr, B.I. (eds) Psychological Aspects of Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85702-8_8

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