Cancer, now what? Approaching life with psychological flexibility
| dc.contributor.advisor | Best, Lisa | |
| dc.contributor.author | Proctor, Cecile J. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-08-20T13:10:58Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-08-20T13:10:58Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-06 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This dissertation examines the influence of psychological flexibility (PF) across several broad areas of life after cancer, including psychological thriving, physical health, employment satisfaction, and romantic relationships. PF is the ability to live life in line with one’s values despite obstacles through defusion from thoughts and present moment mindfulness. According to the Canadian Cancer Society (2022), in 2018, over 1.5 million people in Canada who received a cancer diagnosis in the last 25 years were still alive. The “cancer experience” extends beyond diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care. New medical interventions have resulted in decreased cancer-related deaths for both males and females, with 63% of people expected to survive more than five years (Canadian Cancer Society, 2022). Relative to individuals who have not had a cancer diagnosis, survivors report increased mental health concerns and lowered physical and psychological well-being (Langeveld et al., 2004). This dissertation includes three studies. Study 1 focused on the pillars of PF related to overall thriving after cancer. Results indicated that higher PF was related to increased well-being and better physical health. In this study, openness to experience and valued action were the most salient predictors of thriving and physical health. In Study 2, the focus was on employment satisfaction after cancer. Results indicated that all three pillars (openness to experience, behavioural awareness, and valued action) significantly mediated relationships between health impacts at work and reported physical symptoms and subjective well-being. Valued action fully mediated the relationships between anxiety and depression symptoms and overall quality of working life. Study 3 examined the relationships between the pillars of PF, intimacy, sexual dysfunction, and life, sexual and relationship satisfaction in males and females after cancer. Valued Action and Openness to Experience were significant mediators in the relationships between relationship satisfaction and satisfaction with life. | |
| dc.description.copyright | © Cecile Proctor, 2024 | |
| dc.format.extent | xiv, 244 | |
| dc.format.medium | electronic | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://unbscholar.lib.unb.ca/handle/1882/38074 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of New Brunswick | |
| dc.relation | 2019 WorkSafeNB Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Occupational Medicine Research Grant Competition | |
| dc.rights | http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 | |
| dc.subject | SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Psychology | |
| dc.subject.discipline | Psychology | |
| dc.title | Cancer, now what? Approaching life with psychological flexibility | |
| dc.type | doctoral thesis | |
| oaire.license.condition | other | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Psychology | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of New Brunswick | |
| thesis.degree.level | doctorate | |
| thesis.degree.name | Ph.D. |