Depression and cancer survivorship: importance of coping self‐efficacy in post‐treatment survivors

Abstract

Purpose An estimated 30% of cancer patients are expected to experience clinically significant psychological distress during the treatment phase of their disease. Despite significant attention being directed to the mental health needs of individuals undergoing and completing treatment, there is less known about the mental health needs of survivors and the role of potential protective factors in survivorship, such as coping self-efficacy and social support. Method One hundred and twenty-four post-treatment cancer survivors (mean age = 62.23 years, female = 70%, average 9.3 years post-treatment) were asked to complete measures of physical symptoms, coping self-efficacy, social support, and depression as part of a national convenience sample of cancer patients and survivors. Results About 20% of participants possessed scores on the CES-D indicative of clinically-relevant depression. Coping self-efficacy was not only a significant predictor of depression (43% VAC); it also partially mediated the relationship between symptoms and depression. Social support accounted for limited variance and was not a significant predictor of depression in a model containing both social support and coping self-efficacy as predictors. Conclusion A substantial minority of post-treatment survivors reported depression symptomatology. Coping self-efficacy may be an important component of patients’ adjustment and possible target for intervention. These results highlight the ongoing mental health and support needs of cancer survivors.

Intrinsic religiousness and well-being among cancer patients: the mediating role of control-related religious coping and self-efficacy for coping with cancer

“…In addition, the second greatest amount of variance (37 %) was explained in emotional well-being. This finding is consistent with other studies where intrinsic religiousness (Caplan et al, 2013; Fehring et al, 1997; Nelson et al, 2009), religious coping (Gall et al, 2009; Sherman et al, 2009), and self-efficacy for coping with cancer (Albrecht et al, 2013; Merluzzi et al, 2001; Philip et al, 2013) predicted mental health among cancer patients. Overall, it is noteworthy that the model predicted significant variance in all four types of well-being.…”

“…Self-efficacy for coping with cancer represents patients’ confidence in their ability to use various strategies to manage major tasks during the course of their illness (Merluzzi et al., 2001). Self-efficacy for coping with cancer has been associated with positive health outcomes such as less fatigue, lower levels of depressive symptoms, and higher quality of life among cancer patients (Albrecht et al., 2013; Merluzzi et al, 2001; Philip et al, 2013). Howsepian and Merluzzi (2009) found that religious beliefs were unrelated to self-efficacy for coping with cancer and psychosocial adjustment to cancer in a predominantly Christian sample of cancer outpatients.…”

Population-Level Trends in Posttreatment Cancer Survivors’ Concerns and Associated Receipt of Care: Results from the 2006 and 2010 LIVESTRONG Surveys

“…As seen in previous research (e.g., (Barbera, et al, 2010; Philip, Merluzzi, Zhang, & Heitzmann, 2012)), women reported a higher concern burden than men, and younger survivors reported more physical, emotional, and employment concerns (Bloom, Petersen, & Kang, 2007; Brant et al, 2011; Foster, Wright, Hill, Hopkinson, & Roffe, 2009; Mao et al, 2007; Meyerowitz, Kurita, & D'Orazio, 2008; Shi, et al, 2011; Smith, Crespi, Petersen, Zimmerman, & Ganz, 2010; B. J. Zebrack, Yi, Petersen, & Ganz, 2008).…”

Checkpoints to Progression: Qualitative Analysis of the Personal and Contextual Factors That Influence Selection of Upper Extremity Reconstruction Among Patients With Tetraplegia

“…50–54 Our conclusion that patients with extreme-negative coping behaviors do not progress to UER is therefore predictable. Potentially more surprising, is our finding that, in strict progression-to-UER terms, high coping is not advantageous.…”