Learning Objective #1: Identify the role of spirituality and religious practices on psychological well-being in persons with a life-threatening illness

Learning Objective #2: Identify the relationship between spirituality and coping patterns in persons with a life-threatening illness

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The impact of spirituality as a component of psychological well-being is becoming more recognized by health professionals even though the relationship between spirituality and coping abilities is relatively new in the literature. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between spiritual well-being and coping patterns in persons with life threatening illness. The hypothesis was that there is a significant positive correlation between spiritual well-being and the abiity to cope with a life-threatening illness such as cancer. Method: Subjects were recruited from a local Hospice who were able to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiriutal Well-Being (FACIT-Sp) scale, Dealing with Illness-Coping Inventory (DWI-C)scale, Serenity scale, Coping Humor scale, and State-Trait Anxiety scale (STAI). Findings support a strong positive correlation between spiritual well-being, serenity, and coping abilities. A negative correlation between spiritual well-being and anxiety was supported. Regression analysis supports spiritual well being as a predictor of abiity to cope with a life threatening illness. These finding have great implication for the importance of spiritual care as a core component for those diagnosed with cancer and other life threatening illnesses.