Cancer-related search for meaning increases willingness to participate in mindfulness-based stress reduction

A cancer diagnosis can prompt an examination and reevaluation of life's meaning, purpose, and priorities. There is evidence that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) may help facilitate the meaning-making process. This study examined the influence of meaning in life on willingness to participate (WTP) in MBSR and identified factors associated with the search for and/or presence of meaning.

A cross-sectional survey study of 300 patients undergoing radiation therapy was conducted. WTP in MBSR was dichotomized into yes/no by asking, "Would you participate in an MBSR program if it was offered at the cancer center?" The search for, and the presence of, meaning were assessed using the Meaning in Life Questionnaire.

Eighty patients (27%) indicated WTP in MBSR. In a multivariate logistic regression model, search for meaning was the only significant predictor of WTP in MBSR (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =1.04, P ≤ .001, 95% CI = 1.01-1.08). Identifying as non-white (adjusted β = 4.62; 95% CI = 2.22-7.02; P < .001), and reporting subclinical (adjusted β = 3.59; 95% CI = 0.84-6.34; P = .01) or clinical levels (adjusted β = 5.52; 95% CI = 2.41-8.63; P = .001) of anxiety were the strongest predictors of search for meaning.

Our study indicates that patients searching for meaning are receptive to MBSR. Nonwhite patients and those experiencing high levels of anxiety are most likely to endorse a search for meaning. Future research is needed to understand how best to support patients who are searching for meaning and remove barriers to evidence-based programs like MBSR.