A Structural Model for Psychosocial Adjustment in Patients with Early Breast Cancer

Abstract

Purpose: This study was done to propose a structural model to explain and predict psychosocial adjustment in patients with early breast cancer and to test the model. The model was based on the Stress-Coping Model of Lazarus and Folkman (1984). Methods: Data were collected from February 18 to March 18, 2009. For data analysis, 198 data sets were analyzed using SPSS/WIN12 and AMOS 7.0 version. Results: Social support, uncertainty, symptom experience, and coping had statistically significant direct, indirect and total effects on psychosocial adjustment, and optimism had significant indirect and total effects on psychosocial adjustment. These variables explained 57% of total variance of the psychosocial adjustment in patients with early breast cancer. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate a need to enhance psychosocial adjustment of patients with early breast cancer by providing detailed structured information and various symptom alleviation programs to reduce perceived stresses such as uncertainty and symptom experience. They also suggest the need to establish support systems through participation of medical personnel and families in such programs, and to apply interventions strengthening coping methods to give the patients positive and optimistic beliefs.

Symptom Distress and Coping in Young Korean Breast Cancer Survivors: The Mediating Effects of Social Support and Resilience

“…This study confirmed that social support is a useful coping resource that can strengthen individuals' problem-solving abilities and enable them to effectively cope with stress situations; further, it showed that support from family, friends, and significant others are key factors that affect coping in young breast cancer survivors. Considering that the survival rate of young breast cancer patients is higher among those who have heightened social support post-cancer diagnosis than among those who maintain the same amount of contact with friends and family as before breast cancer treatment [11], it is clearly highly However, the results of this study were different from the results of Kim & So [17], which reported that social support does not mediate the relationship between symptom experience and coping in early breast cancer patients. Young breast cancer patients (<50 years old) are more likely than older breast cancer patients (≥50 years old) to want emotional support from professional counselors, while also showing higher demand for appropriate social support services [6,30].…”

“…Moreover, in a study on the indirect effects of coping resources (social support and optimism) on the relationship between symptom experience and coping in patients with early breast cancer [17], structural correlation between individual variables were identified.…”

“…In addition, further paths were established in which social support [17] and resilience affected coping [16] (Figure 1). …”

Factors that Influence Korean Breast Cancer Patients to Undergo Cancer Rehabilitation Therapy

“…2) Such differences in the results could be caused by a number of factors. Participants of Kim and So's study 2) had Stages I and II breast cancer, and had undergone operations or received anti-cancer chemotherapies and radiotherapies after diagnosis. Although the numbers were smaller than that of patients who had not relapsed, our present study included Stages III and IV breast cancer patients as well as patients with relapses, and also patients who were still undergoing anticancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy.…”

“…1) However, the increases in incidence and survival rates have led breast cancer patients to experience considerable lifelong physical, psychological, and social distress. 2) While pain significantly decreases with time post-surgery, 26% of patients continued to report pain as much as 5 years post-surgery, which negatively affected their quality of life. 3) Rehabilitation therapy may help reduce physical symptoms (e.g., fatigue) and improve the quality of life.…”