The Role of Awareness of Disease Stage Among Individuals with Cancer in the Context of Attachment to Close Others, Meaning in Life, and the Manifestation of Hopelessness

Abstract

Cancer is considered one of the most serious health challenges of the 21st century. The diagnosis of cancer often turns into an existential crisis, accompanied by feelings of despair, uncertainty about the future, and the need to reconsider the meaning and values of life. Especially for patients in the palliative care stage, the illness becomes not only a medical condition but also a profound psychological experience that requires the development of new adaptive approaches. The present study examines the characteristics of meaning-making in life, attachment to significant others, and manifestations of despair among individuals with cancer undergoing palliative care, from the perspective of patients’ awareness of the stage of their illness. The findings highlight that patients’ awareness of their disease stage has a significant impact on life meaning-making, attachment to close others, and the intensity of despair, functioning as an important psychological factor in the palliative phase. In particular, individuals who are informed about the stage of their illness tend to demonstrate a more pronounced search for meaning in life and strive to re-evaluate the value of their existence, personal experiences, relationships, and social connections. At the same time, such awareness may facilitate acceptance of the illness, emotional regulation, and the formation of more open and deeper relationships with close others, which in some cases leads to a reduction in levels of despair.