Abstract

The investigator examined the relations amongst Power, Uncertainty, Self-transcendence, and Quality of Life in breast cancer survivors. The theoretical rationale linked the theories of Barrett, Mishel, and Reed with Ferrans' conceptual model of Quality of Life from the perspective of Rogers' Science of Unitary Human Beings (SUHB). The variables were operationalized using: Quality of Life Index-Cancer Version (QLI-CV), Power as Knowing Participation in Change Tool, Version II (PKPCT), Mishel's Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Community Form (MUIS-C), and the Self-Transcendence Scale (STS). Following human subjects protection approvals, a correlational, cross-sectional study with purposive sampling was conducted and 104 women participated. The results revealed (a) moderate to strong, statistically significant intercorrelations amongst the variables, (b) multiple regression analyses indicated Uncertainty and Self-Transcendence contributed 39% of the variance in Quality of Life, and (c) Power and Uncertainty explained 17% of the variance in Quality of Life and 18% in Self-Transcendence but no moderating relations were found. On ancillary analyses, mediating relations were found: (a) Self-Transcendence mediated the relation of both Power and Uncertainty to Quality of Life, and (b) Power mediated the relation of Uncertainty and Self-Transcendence. Six demographic factors (use of complementary modalities, household income, education, medication use, and current support group) were found to be important. The researcher concluded that (a) all study variables are related human field pattern manifestations of relevance to women in the intermediate stage of breast cancer survivorship, and (b) there is preliminary support for the theoretical linkages posited by the investigator. The implications of the study lie in the areas of theory, research, and practice. Recommendations for future study are presented.

Description

This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 3289579; ProQuest document ID: 305278366. The author still retains copyright.

Author Details

Arlene T. Farren, RN; PhD; AOCN, CTN-A, CNE

Sigma Membership

Mu Upsilon, Upsilon

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Cross-Sectional

Research Approach

Quantitative Research

Keywords:

Cancer Survivors, Survivor Well-being, Female Patients

Advisors

Phillips, John R.

Degree

PhD

Degree Grantor

New York University

Degree Year

2006

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2019-08-22

Full Text of Presentation

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