Meaning-Centered Coping as a Psychological Resource in Patients with Brain Tumors

Abstract

The study addresses the growing interest in psychological resources of adaptation among neuro-oncology patients, whose illness experience is shaped not only by organic impairment but also by substantial emotional and existential distress. The aim was to examine meaning-centered coping as a potential psychological resource in patients with brain tumors. The sample included 102 patients from neurosurgical departments in the Republic of Uzbekistan; after preliminary cognitive screening with the MoCA, 12 participants with severe cognitive impairment were excluded from the final psychological analysis. The study employed the EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-BN20, IPQ-R, HADS, PTGI, COPE-30, and the Meaning-Centered Coping Scale. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman correlation analysis. Meaning-centered coping significantly differed across histological groups: the highest levels were found in patients with meningiomas, whereas the lowest levels were observed in patients with glioneuronal tumors (p < 0.001). Meaning-centered coping was associated with higher posttraumatic growth and with more favorable indicators of health satisfaction and emotional functioning. In addition, a weak inverse correlation with depression was found (r = -0.232; p = 0.030), while no significant association with anxiety emerged. These findings suggest that meaning-centered coping may serve as a promising psychological target in supportive interventions for patients with brain tumors, particularly in strengthening personal adaptation and helping patients construct an individual meaning of their illness experience.