"Fear Has Big Eyes": Illness Perception Fear of Recurrence, and Generalized Anxiety in Post - Treatment Thoracic Cancer Patients: A Serial Multiple Analysis

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  • Tytuł: "Fear Has Big Eyes": Illness Perception Fear of Recurrence, and Generalized Anxiety in Post - Treatment Thoracic Cancer Patients: A Serial Multiple Analysis
  • Autor/Autorzy:
  • Nazwa czasopisma: Journal of Clinical Medicine
  • Rok: 2026
  • Tom: 15
  • Numer: 5
  • ISSN: 2077-0383
  • e-ISSN: 2077-0383
  • DOI: 10.3390/jcm15051797
  • Adres www:: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/5/1797/pdf
  • Strony od-do: 1-21
  • Abstrakt: Background/Objectives: Although illness perception has been examined in oncology populations, there is a lack of empirical studies focusing specifically on post-treatment thoracic cancer patients and on the mechanisms through which illness perception relates to fear of cancer recurrence and generalized anxiety. In particular, prior research has rarely tested meaning-making and changes in beliefs and goals as mediating factors. This study aimed to examine the mediating roles of meaning-making and changes in beliefs and goals within a serial multiple mediation model between illness perception, fear of recurrence, and generalized anxiety. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 284 thoracic cancer patients (149 men and 135 women) who had completed treatment. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing illness perception, meaning-making, changes in beliefs and goals, fear of cancer recurrence, and generalized anxiety. Hierarchical regression analyses and serial multiple-mediation models based on path analysis were employed to examine direct and indirect associations among variables. Results: Negative illness perception was positively associated with fear of recurrence and generalized anxiety, while positive illness perception predicted lower levels of both outcomes. Path analyses revealed that meaning-making and changes in beliefs and goals jointly mediated the relationships between illness perceptions and psychological distress. Specifically, adaptive meaning-making and belief–goal restructuring were associated with lower fear of recurrence and generalized anxiety, whereas maladaptive forms were associated with higher levels of both outcomes. Conclusions: Findings indicate that both negative and positive illness perceptions influence post-treatment emotional adjustment in thoracic cancer patients through mediation effects. Based on the meaning-making model, interventions targeting maladaptive illness perceptions, promoting meaning-making, and supporting adaptive changes in personal beliefs and goals may reduce fear of recurrence and anxiety. These results support the incorporation of meaning-centered strategies into psychosocial oncology care, emphasizing cognitive–motivational cognitive-motivational factors as critical targets for improving emotional well-being in cancer survivorship.
  • Dyscyplina: psychologia
  • 002 a "Fear Has Big Eyes": Illness Perception Fear of Recurrence, and Generalized Anxiety in Post - Treatment Thoracic Cancer Patients: A Serial Multiple Analysis
  • 003 b 0000-0002-6336-7251
  • 003 a Dariusz Krok (Autor)
  • 003 a Ewa Telka (Autor)
  • 003 a SEBASTIAN SKALSKI-BEDNARZ (Autor)
  • 004 a Oryginalny artykuł naukowy
  • 006 a Journal of Clinical Medicine
  • 008 a 2026
  • 009 a 15
  • 010 a 5
  • 011 a 2077-0383
  • 012 a 2077-0383
  • 013 a 10.3390/jcm15051797
  • 014 a https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/5/1797/pdf
  • 015 a 1-21
  • 020 a Background/Objectives: Although illness perception has been examined in oncology populations, there is a lack of empirical studies focusing specifically on post-treatment thoracic cancer patients and on the mechanisms through which illness perception relates to fear of cancer recurrence and generalized anxiety. In particular, prior research has rarely tested meaning-making and changes in beliefs and goals as mediating factors. This study aimed to examine the mediating roles of meaning-making and changes in beliefs and goals within a serial multiple mediation model between illness perception, fear of recurrence, and generalized anxiety. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 284 thoracic cancer patients (149 men and 135 women) who had completed treatment. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing illness perception, meaning-making, changes in beliefs and goals, fear of cancer recurrence, and generalized anxiety. Hierarchical regression analyses and serial multiple-mediation models based on path analysis were employed to examine direct and indirect associations among variables. Results: Negative illness perception was positively associated with fear of recurrence and generalized anxiety, while positive illness perception predicted lower levels of both outcomes. Path analyses revealed that meaning-making and changes in beliefs and goals jointly mediated the relationships between illness perceptions and psychological distress. Specifically, adaptive meaning-making and belief–goal restructuring were associated with lower fear of recurrence and generalized anxiety, whereas maladaptive forms were associated with higher levels of both outcomes. Conclusions: Findings indicate that both negative and positive illness perceptions influence post-treatment emotional adjustment in thoracic cancer patients through mediation effects. Based on the meaning-making model, interventions targeting maladaptive illness perceptions, promoting meaning-making, and supporting adaptive changes in personal beliefs and goals may reduce fear of recurrence and anxiety. These results support the incorporation of meaning-centered strategies into psychosocial oncology care, emphasizing cognitive–motivational cognitive-motivational factors as critical targets for improving emotional well-being in cancer survivorship.
  • 022 a cognitive-motivational mediation
  • 022 a fear of recurrence
  • 022 a generalized anxiety
  • 022 a illness perception
  • 022 a meaning-making
  • 022 a thoracic cancer
  • 966 a psychologia
  • 985 a Wydział Filozoficzny
  • 985 b Instytut Psychologii

2026_art_Krok_D_Telska_E_Skalski-Bednarz_S_Fear Has Big Eyes_Illness Perception_Fear of Recurrence_and Generalized Anxiety...pdf (499 KB)

  • Licence: CC BY 4.0
  • Text version: Final published
  • Availability: Public
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Repozytorium Akademii Ignatianum w Krakowie, które jest częścią Portalu Pracowniczego zostało zrealizowane w ramach projektu „Program wzmocnienia potencjału dydaktycznego Uczelni na rzecz rozwoju regionalnego” POWR.03.05.00-00-ZR10/18 współfinansowanego ze środków Unii Europejskiej w ramach Europejskiego Funduszu Społecznego.