title: Increased self-transcendence in patients with intractable diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with intractable disease require long-term treatment and experience repeated bouts of progressive symptoms and resolutions, which cause them severe suffering. The aim of this study was to elucidate the concepts of self-transcendence and subjective well-being in patients with intractable disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four patients with intractable disease (men/women: 22/22) participated. The diseases of the participants were classified into five systems: (i) neural/muscle system; (ii) digestive system; (iii) immunity/blood system; (iv) visual system; and (v) bone/joint system. The controls were 1854 healthy individuals (men/women: 935/869). Participants completed the Self-Transcendence Scale (STS) and the Japanese version of the World Health Organization-Subjective Inventory. The Japanese version of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview was also used for the intractable disease group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of covariance found a significant increase in STS score among the intractable disease group (P < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that the positive affect measured by the World Health Organization-Subjective Inventory showed the greatest effect on the STS score for the intractable disease group (β = 0.539, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a life-changing experience, an intractable disease may influence an increase in self-transcendence. The results also showed that there was a strong correlation between self-transcendence and respondents' subjective well-being. Our results suggest that patients with life-changing intractable disease can have a high level of self-transcendence, which may lead them to regain mental well-being, and increase their psychological health even in situations that cause physical and mental suffering.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Niwako
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamawaki
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D007564:Japan; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D029181:Spirituality; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000523:psychology