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.