Causal Model of Overcoming Death Anxiety by Cognitive Regulation of Emotion and Spirituality and the Mediation Role of Resilience in Patients Diagnosed with Cancer: Provide Suggestions to Improve Psychiatric Nursing Services

Abstract

Objectives: Personality and spiritual factors play an important role in the death anxiety of incurable patients. This research was performed to investigate the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between emotional regulation and spirituality, with death anxiety in cancer patients. Methods: Number of 290 cancer patients referring to the chemotherapy section of Imam Reza Hospital were selected using available sampling methods. The questionnaires that were considered to collect information were: (1) Demographic Information Questionnaire; (2) Parsian and Dunning Spirituality Questionnaire; (3) Garnefski Emotion Regulation Questionnaire; (4) Connor & Davidson Resilience Questionnaire; and (5) Templer Death Anxiety Questionnaire; all the data from these questionnaires after completion and analysis of the data collected, structural equations were carried out using Smart Pls. Results: The results showed that the direct effect of cognitive regulation of emotion, spirituality and resilience on death anxiety is significant (P ≤ 0.01). Also, the direct effect of cognitive regulation of emotion and spirituality on resilience is significant (P ≤ 0.01). Furthermore the indirect cognitive regulation of emotion and spirituality on death anxiety mediated by resilience is significant (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusions: The results of this study show the importance of personality and spiritual factors in psychological problems of cancer patients and have implications in the field of psychotherapy.