Exploring the Relationship Between Illness Perception, Self-transcendence, and Demoralization in Patients with Lung Cancer: A Latent Profile and Mediation Analysis

Objective: This study examined the heterogeneity of illness perceptions in patients with lung cancer and evaluated the mediating role of self-transcendence in the relation between illness perception and demoralization.

Methods: A convenience sample of 477 patients with lung cancer was selected from three tertiary hospitals in Wuhan, China, between January and June 2024. Participants completed the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, Self-Transcendence Scale, and Demoralization Scale. Data were analyzed using Mplus 8.3 and SPSS 25.0.

Results: Three latent illness perception profiles were identified among patients with lung cancer: low (27.25%), moderate (40.04%), and high (32.71%). Mediation analyses revealed a partial mediation effect in the relation between illness perception and demoralization in the low versus moderate (SE ​= ​1.56, 95% CI ​= ​14.71, 20.86) and high versus low illness perception groups (SE ​= ​1.71, 95% CI ​= ​35.44, 42.71).

Conclusions: Patients with lung cancer exhibited heterogeneous illness perceptions, and self-transcendence partially mediated the relation between illness perception and demoralization. Promoting self-transcendence may help mitigate the negative impact of illness perceptions on demoralization. Clinical interventions aimed at reducing negative illness perceptions and enhancing self-transcendence should be prioritized in the care of patients with lung cancer.