The attitude to the diagnosis and the internal picture of health in cancer patients as psychological resources of coping with the disease

The problem of the involvement of psychological factors in the pathogenesis of malignant neoplasms is among the most urgent issues today. However, there is insufficient empirical research on psychological mechanisms, conditions, or patterns that allow overcoming cancer. As a result of studying sample groups of patients having the status of «primary» and «secondary» as well as comparing them with «conditionally healthy» persons, we have determined psychological resources due to which the potential for overcoming the disease is developed in cancer patients. These include: diagnosis acceptance stages related to patient compliance and quality of life; psychological and family well-being; harmonious interpersonal relationships; professional self-realization; awareness in the field of health. We analyzed the relationship between the attitude toward the diagnosis, revealed through an analysis of the stages of acceptance, and the patients’ level of compliance and quality of life. The results of this correlational analysis suggest that acceptance of the diagnosis is a mediated psychological resource in the process of coping with the disease. Both acceptance of the diagnosis and «negotiations» with the disease have mediating effects on the coping process. It has been established that personal self-development and self-improvement are not considered by patients as a self-sufficient resource for coping with the disease.