Emotional adjustment over 1 year post-diagnosis in patients with cancer: understanding and predicting adjustment trajectories

Abstract

To avoid both over- and undertreatment of distressed individuals, repeated measurements are needed to identify actual adjustment trajectories. Initial assessment of emotional reaction to a diagnosis is not a reliable predictor of long-term adjustment. Patients should be made aware that completion of initial medical treatment even when accompanied by a positive prognosis does not in and of itself forecast how well patients adjust during survivorship.

Co‐morbidity of depression, anxiety and fatigue in cancer patients receiving psychological care

“…pain) when presenting themselves for psychological care were at a greater risk of reporting persistent mood disturbances and fatigue. Our findings are partly in line with results from a recent longitudinal study, showing that cancer patients reporting more impact of cancer reported stable high anxiety and depression in the year following diagnosis . Our results suggest that an overall poorer physical health seems unfavourable for patients in terms of the likelihood to experience improvements in functioning over time.…”

The prevalence and predictors of subsyndromal anxiety and depression in adult Asian cancer patients across the first year of diagnosis

“…Regardless, findings suggest that perhaps in these adult Asian patients, sequelae manifest themselves in the weeks following the diagnosis, especially in ambulatory care patients, who are not under the constant watchful eye of the medical team; repeated reviews of patients’ emotional state may be necessary as initial assessments of emotional reactions to diagnoses may not be a reliable predictor of long‐term adjustment . There are, however, some variables that were found to be predictive of subsyndromal sequelae and may assist physicians with efficiently directing their attention to these patients.…”

Emotions and Emotion Regulation in Breast Cancer Survivorship

“…However, this number was equivalent to that of the general population after the first year, except for women who experienced a cancer recurrence. Frequent, repeated measurements, such as those included in the Burgess et al study, may be needed to identify actual adjustment trajectories, as patients frequently shift between clinical and non-clinical groups [ 35 ]. Initial assessment of emotional reaction to a diagnosis may not be a reliable predictor of long-term adjustment.…”