Kenneth E. Bruscia

The Sense of Coherence in Hospitalized Cardiac and Cancer Patients

The sense of coherence (SOC) is a measure of ones global orientation toward the world; it is the extent to which one perceives life as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful. The study assesses the SOC of cardiac and cancer inpatients, and examines whether age, gender, race, education, and length of illness predict SOC. Participants comprise 172 patients (84 women, 88 men) at an urban hospital in the Northeastern United States, 122 with cardiac conditions and 50 with cancer. The mean age is 59.8. Results show that the SOC of cardiac and cancer patients is slightly lower than the general population. There are no differences in SOC between cardiac and cancer patients. Multiple regression shows that age and length of illness predict SOC (R = .26, R 2 = .07, p = .002); however because of the small effect size and collinearity, their exact contributions need further study. SOC does not vary according to gender, race, or education.

A Survey of Treatment Procedures in Improvisational Music Therapy

Major models of improvisational music therapy are described in terms of clinical applications, goals, session formats, media selection, and methodo- logical procedures. Details are given on procedural steps or cycles that occur within a typical session in each model. Two prototypes for improvisatory sessions are identified, and procedural objectives found in most models of improvisational music therapy are summarized.

Predictive Factors in the Quality of Life of Cancer Inpatients

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to determine whether sense of coherence (SOC), and demographic variables (age, gender, race, education, length of illness) predict quality of life (QOL) in cancer inpatients. SOC is the extent to which one finds life comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful. Participants were 49 inpatients (66% female) with various forms of cancer, mostly African American (71%), with a mean age of 54.5 years. The mean QOLS of cancer inpatients (84.6) was lower than a healthy population (90.0), however, their mean item scores indicated that they are “mostly satisfied” with most areas of QOL except for active forms of past-time and health. The mean SOC score (133.8) was also lower than other groups; however without appropriate norms, it cannot be concluded that cancer inpatients have a weak SOC. Multiple regressions showed that SOC was a significant predictor of QOL, and that the demographic variables were not predictive of QOL, except when combined with SOC. All findings may be limited by demographics of the sample (race, gender, age, severity of illness), and the inability of cross-sectional investigations to determine causality.

Predictors of Quality of Life in Hospitalized Cardiac Patients

This cross-sectional investigation examined relationships between Sense of Coherence (SOC), age, gender, race, education, length of illness, and Quality of Life (QOLS) in 121 hospitalized cardiac patients (mean age 61.7 years), varying in condition and treatment regimen. QOLS scores were relatively good; SOC scores were slightly lower than other groups. SOC predicted QOLS alone, and in conjunction with age, gender, race, length of illness, and education, which did not predict QOLS separately. Thus, an important interdisciplinary goal is to help cardiac patients perceive life as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful (as measured by SOC), as this greatly influences Quality of Life.