The Effectiveness of Existential Therapy on Self-Care and Psychological Hardiness in Women with Breast Cancer

Khojasteh, Solmaz; Babapour, Jalil; Zarean, Mosatafa

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The Effectiveness of Existential Therapy on Self-Care and Psychological Hardiness in Women with Breast Cancer

Solmaz Khojasteh

, Jalil Babapour ^*

, Mosatafa Zarean

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran , babapourj@yahoo.com

Abstract: (15 Views)

Introduction: Breast cancer, the most common cancer among women, is associated with not only significant physical consequences but also substantial psychological challenges. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of existential therapy in improving self‑care and psychological hardiness among women with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: In this quasi‑experimental study with a pretest–posttest design and a control group, 30 women aged 40 to 55 with breast cancer in Tabriz, Iran, in 2025 were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to an intervention group and a control group (15 participants in each group). The intervention group received ten weekly sessions (60 minutes each) of Frankl’s existential therapy. Data were collected using the Miller Self‑Care Questionnaire and the Kobasa Hardiness Questionnaire, and analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: Our findings showed that after controlling for pre-test scores, existential therapy was significantly associated with increased self-care and psychological toughness in the intervention group. Conclusion: Existential therapy, as an effective psychological intervention, improves coping capacities and psychological status of women with breast cancer.

Keywords: Dignity Therapy, Breast Neoplasms, Psychotherapy, Long-Term Care, Middle Aged

Type of Study: Research --- Open Access, CC-BY-NC | Subject: Psycology

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