The paradox: guilt as an antidote to helplessness among oncologists

Abstract

Purpose: Oncologists are exposed to suffering, loss, and death, and as a result may experience guilt. The study examined two competing hypotheses regarding the relation between locus of control (LOC) and guilt among oncologists and the mediating role of helplessness.

Method: Eighty-three oncologists answered a demographic questionnaire; the Levenson's "Internal, Powerful Others, and Chance" scale; the Guilt Inventory; and the Learned Helplessness Scale.

Results: Oncologists reported moderate levels of guilt, high levels of internal LOC, and low levels of external LOC and helplessness. The results indicate a significant negative relationship between internal LOC and guilt and a significant positive relationship between external LOC (powerful others) and guilt, both mediated by helplessness. It seems that oncologists with external LOC feel helplessness and this metamorphoses into guilt, due to its potentially protective role against feelings of helplessness.

Conclusions: Oncologists are at risk for guilt. Whereas an internal LOC plays an important role as a resilience factor in terms of helplessness, an external LOC is a risk factor for helplessness and guilt. A paradoxical association between guilt and helplessness was found. The implication of which is that guilt may be produced to avoid helplessness; in other words, guilt, however painful, might be preferable to feeling helpless. Interventions focusing on oncologists' coping with uncontrolled situations in their daily work, decreasing their sense of helplessness and guilt, should be implanted.

Keywords: Cancer; Guilt; Helplessness; Locus of control; Oncologists.