Percorsi individuali e spirituali nella risposta al cancro

The oncological disease represents an interruption of the normal existential path of a subject. The authors, starting from the biopsychosocial model, consider the importance of spirituality and religiosity as a support when facing this difficult experience. Research in this field is included in the psychosocial studies that analyze the way in which subjects react to stressful events. An analysis of the literature shows that religiosity and spirituality affect differently the coping process. Spirituality seems more related to a decrease of anxiety and depression and with more chances to have shared and more realistic choices in the care pathway, while religiosity seems to have less significant impact on the components linked to emotional state and decisions in the care pathway. However, the results of the researches are not univocal and emphasize that this research area needs to be improved, paying particular attention to both constructs and methodological aspects.