Meaning-Centred Group Psychotherapy for Advanced Cancer Patients: Addressing the Existential Vacuum Through Therapeutic Case Study

Haimanti Sarkar, Dr. Yugal Kishore, Dr. Parul Malik

Authors

Haimanti Sarkar, Dr. Yugal Kishore, Dr. Parul Malik

Keywords:

Existential vacuum, meaning-centred therapy, logotherapy, group psychotherapy, advanced cancer, depression, anxiety, case study, palliative care, psychological well-being.

Abstract

The existential vacuum, a pervasive sense of meaninglessness, emptiness, and loss of purpose, has been increasingly recognised as a critical factor in psychological suffering, particularly among patients facing life-limiting illnesses. This case study-based paper explores the impact of meaning-centred group psychotherapy (MCGP), inspired by Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy, on the psychological well-being of advanced cancer patients. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data, including detailed case vignettes, the study investigates how structured therapeutic interventions targeting existential themes can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and foster a renewed sense of purpose, connection, and hope. The findings highlight not only the clinical effectiveness of MCGP but also its relevance as a holistic and humanising approach to care, addressing the unmet existential needs that frequently arise in terminal illness. The paper situates its results within the broader context of existential psychology, palliative care, and contemporary research on meaning, offering practical insights for clinicians and policy-makers seeking to improve mental health outcomes in serious medical conditions.

References

Best, M., Strech, D., & Cohen, J. (2020). Narrative and meaning-based approaches to palliative care: A qualitative systematic review. Palliative Medicine, 34(6), 731–741. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269216320909958

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 11(4), 589–597.

Breitbart, W., Poppito, S. R., Rosenfeld, B., et al. (2018). Meaning-Centered Group Psychotherapy: An effective intervention for palliative care patients. Palliative & Supportive Care, 16(6), 706–712.

Breitbart, W., & Poppito, S. R. (2014). Meaning-centered group psychotherapy for patients with advanced cancer: A treatment manual. Oxford University Press.

Chochinov, H. M. (2021). Dignity in care: A new paradigm for palliative care. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 11(2), 119–120.

Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). Sage.

Eisenbeck, N., Carreno, D. F., & Pérez-Escobar, J. A. (2021). Meaning-centered coping in the era of COVID-19: Direct and moderating effects on depression, anxiety, and stress. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 648383.

Frankl, V. E. (1985). Man’s search for meaning (Rev. ed.). Washington Square Press.

Garcia-Alandete, J., Martínez, E. R., & Sellés, P. (2013). Predicting clinical symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress from the meaning in life among Spanish adults. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 13(3), 233–241.

Henry, M., Cilia, S., Thomas, A., et al. (2021). Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psycho-Oncology, 30(4), 584–597.

Hui, D., Mori, M., Parsons, H. A., et al. (2015). The clinical impact of meaning and purpose in life on patients with advanced cancer. Oncologist, 20(7), 806–813.

Kira, I. A., Shuwiekh, H. A. M., Alhuwailah, A., & Balaghi, D. (2022). Does COVID-19 type III continuous existential trauma deplete traditional coping, diminish health and mental health, and kindle spirituality? An exploratory study on Arab countries. Journal of Loss & Trauma, 27(4), 297–317.

Kissane, D. W. (2017). The challenge of existential suffering in palliative care. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 7(3), 287–288.

Krause, N. (2017). Assessing the religious and secular meaning-making model in late life. Journal of Gerontology: Series B, 72(3), 457–466.

Lethborg, C., Kissane, D., Burns, W., & Snyder, R. (2020). Existential well-being and meaning-based therapies in advanced cancer. European Journal of Cancer Care, 29(5), e13268.

Lin, L., & Shek, D. T. L. (2019). Meaning in life as a protective factor against suicidal behaviour in Chinese adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 389.

Martela, F., & Steger, M. F. (2016). The three meanings of meaning in life: Distinguishing coherence, purpose, and significance. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 531–545.

Miao, M., & Gan, Y. (2020). Meaning in life and resilience among college students: The mediating role of future orientation. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1943.

O’Connor, M., Waller, A., & Hegarty, S. (2018). The impact of group meaning-centered therapy on hope, meaning, and psychological well-being in palliative care. Palliative & Supportive Care, 16(2), 225–232.

Pellens, H., Dezutter, J., Luyten, P., & Vanhooren, S. (2022). To be scared or scared to be: Existential anxiety as a mediator between meaning experience and depression. Journal of Humanistic Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00221678221140617

Rajkumar, R. P. (2021). Suffering and salutogenesis: A conceptual analysis of lessons for psychiatry from existential positive psychology (PP2.0) in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 646334.

Robinson, S., Kissane, D. W., Brooker, J., et al. (2022). Meaning and palliative care: A scoping review of interventions. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 12(1), 50–61.

Schimmers, N., Breeksema, J. J., Smith-Apeldoorn, S. Y., Veraart, J., van den Brink, W., & Schoevers, R. A. (2022). Psychedelics for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and existential distress in patients with a terminal illness: A systematic review. Psychopharmacology, 239(1), 15–33.

Schippers, M. C., & Ziegler, N. (2019). Life crafting as a way to find purpose and meaning in life. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2778.

Schnell, T. (2021). The psychology of meaning in life. Routledge.

Schulenberg, S. E., Baczwaski, B. J., & Buchanan, E. M. (2016). Measuring search for meaning: A factor-analytic evaluation of the seeking of noetic goals test (SONG). Journal of Happiness Studies, 17, 305–317.

Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006). The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53(1), 80–93.

Trzebiński, J., Cabański, M., & Czarnecka, J. Z. (2020). Reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic: The influence of meaning in life, life satisfaction, and assumptions on world orderliness and positivity. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 25(6–7), 544–557.

Vos, J., Craig, M., & Cooper, M. (2015). Existential therapies: A meta-analysis of their effects on psychological outcomes. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83(1), 115–128.

World Health Organization. (2021). Palliative care: Key facts. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/palliative-care