مرضیه محمودی

 Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the integrated approach of meaning therapy and hope therapy on tolerance of ambiguity, alexithymia, and psychological hardiness of women with breast cancer in Dezful City. Method: The statistical population of this study consisted of all women with breast cancer in Dezful in 2021, from whom 30 people were randomly selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. Toronto Alexithymia Scale (Taylor, 1986), Ambiguity Tolerance Scale, and Hardiness Questionnaire (Kobasa et al.,1982) were administered to both groups. Then the experimental group was subjected to group therapy of the integrated approach of meaning therapy and hope therapy. The number of therapy sessions was eight 90-minute sessions, and after the end of the training course, both experimental and control groups completed the research questionnaires again. After collecting data, multivariate and univariate analyses of variance were used to analyze data via SPSS software. Results: The results of the data analysis confirmed the effectiveness of this integrated approach on tolerance of ambiguity, alexithymia, and psychological hardiness (p≤ 0/001). Also, the results showed the effect of this integrated approach on the dimensions of alexithymia (difficulty in recognizing emotions, difficulty in describing feelings, and extrovert thinking) and the dimensions of psychological hardiness (commitment, control, and struggle). Conclusion: The findings of this study could lead to positive consequences of the integrated approach of meaning therapy and hope therapy in women with breast cancer