Volume 16, Issue 1 (8-2026)
Clin Exc 2026, 16(1): 60-75 |
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Behzadi F, Bagheri F, Mohyadini A. Meaning-Making in Life-Threatening Illness: A Grounded Theory Study with Educational Implications for Medical Sciences. Clin Exc 2026; 16 (1) :60-75
URL: http://ce.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-964-en.html
URL: http://ce.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-964-en.html
Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract: (45 Views)
Background and Objective: Life-threatening illnesses impose profound psychological and existential challenges on patients. Meaning-making is recognized as a key adaptive process in coping with such conditions. This study aimed to develop a grounded theory explaining the process of meaning-making among individuals facing life-threatening illness, with a focus on its implications for medical education.
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a grounded theory approach. Participants were patients diagnosed with life-threatening illness, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using constant comparative analysis. To ensure the trustworthiness of the data, Lincoln and Guba’s criteria— including credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability—were applied.
Results: The findings revealed a dynamic, multi-dimensional process of meaning-making consisting of causal conditions (e.g., purpose and coherence), strategies (e.g., altruism and spiritual beliefs), barriers (e.g., nihilism and psychological distress), and outcomes (e.g., inner peace, acceptance, and appreciation of life). The emergent model illustrates how individuals reconstruct meaning in the face of existential threats.
Conclusion: Meaning-making plays a crucial role in psychological adaptation to life-threatening illness. Integrating meaning-centered approaches into medical education may enhance students' communication skills, empathy, and their ability to address patients' existential distress.
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a grounded theory approach. Participants were patients diagnosed with life-threatening illness, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using constant comparative analysis. To ensure the trustworthiness of the data, Lincoln and Guba’s criteria— including credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability—were applied.
Results: The findings revealed a dynamic, multi-dimensional process of meaning-making consisting of causal conditions (e.g., purpose and coherence), strategies (e.g., altruism and spiritual beliefs), barriers (e.g., nihilism and psychological distress), and outcomes (e.g., inner peace, acceptance, and appreciation of life). The emergent model illustrates how individuals reconstruct meaning in the face of existential threats.
Conclusion: Meaning-making plays a crucial role in psychological adaptation to life-threatening illness. Integrating meaning-centered approaches into medical education may enhance students' communication skills, empathy, and their ability to address patients' existential distress.
Keywords: Meaning in Life, Life-Threatening Illness, Grounded Theory, Medical Education, Existential Distress
Type of Study: Research(Original) |
Subject:
روانشناسی
Received: 2026/03/16 | Accepted: 2026/06/2 | Published: 2026/06/2
Received: 2026/03/16 | Accepted: 2026/06/2 | Published: 2026/06/2
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