McGrath Pam
Leukaemia Foundation's Psycho-social Research Program, Department of Religion, School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
Support Care Cancer. 2002 Nov;10(8):637-46. doi: 10.1007/s00520-002-0360-5. Epub 2002 Jul 10.
The findings presented in this discussion seek to make a contribution to fostering an appreciation of the importance of research on spirituality, a previously neglected dimension of health care. Qualitative research methodology based on open-ended interviews with 12 survivors of haematological malignancies was used. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed using the NUD*IST computer package. The preliminary findings from the study indicate a need for the development of a new language for articulating spirituality. The present discussion is an introductory attempt to begin to explore the notion of, and language for, the idea of 'spiritual pain'. The findings indicate that individuals need a strong sense of meaning-making and connection with life to be able to deal with the demands of aggressive, invasive treatments. Such a connection can be threatened by a break with the normal or expected relationships and satisfaction with life through physical, identity, relational and existential challenges and losses. When the disconnection is acutely painful (a subjective phenomenon depending on the individual) it then is experienced as spiritual pain, creating a void that challenges the individual's ability to derive any meaning from their existence. This study is seen as preliminary work, the first step in a series of articles aimed at beginning to develop, through research, a language of spiritual care.
本次讨论中呈现的研究结果旨在为促进对灵性研究重要性的认识做出贡献，灵性是医疗保健中一个此前被忽视的维度。研究采用了基于对12位血液系统恶性肿瘤幸存者进行开放式访谈的定性研究方法。访谈内容逐字记录，并使用NUD*IST计算机软件包进行主题分析。该研究的初步结果表明，需要发展一种新的语言来表达灵性。本次讨论是一次初步尝试，开始探索“精神痛苦”这一概念及其相关语言。研究结果表明，个体需要强烈的意义感以及与生活的联系，才能应对积极的、侵入性治疗带来的要求。这种联系可能会因与正常或预期关系的断裂以及因身体、身份、人际关系和生存方面的挑战与损失而对生活产生的不满而受到威胁。当这种脱节带来剧烈痛苦时（这是一种因人而异的主观现象），就会被体验为精神痛苦，从而产生一个空洞，挑战个体从自身存在中获取任何意义的能力。本研究被视为初步工作，是一系列文章的第一步，旨在通过研究开始发展一种灵性关怀的语言。
