title: The role of religious and spiritual beliefs in coping with malignant melanoma.
abstract: This study investigated the role of spiritual and religious beliefs in ambulatory patients coping with malignant melanoma. One-hundred and seventeen patients with melanoma being seen in an outpatient clinic completed a battery of measurements including the newly validated Systems of Belief Inventory (SBI-54). No correlation was found between SBI-54 scores and levels of distress. However, there was a correlation between greater reliance on spiritual and religious beliefs and use of an active-cognitive coping style (r = 0.46, p < 0.0001). Data suggest that use of religious and spiritual beliefs is associated with an active rather than passive form of coping. We suggest that such beliefs provide a helpful active-cognitive framework for many individuals from which to face the existential crises of life-threatening illness.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Holland
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Passik
authors: K M
authors: KM
authors: Kash
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Russak
authors: M K
authors: MK
authors: Gronert
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Sison
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Lederberg
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Fox
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Baider
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological