The role of disclosure patterns and unsupportive social interactions in the well‐being of breast cancer patients

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the nature and potential effects of disclosure patterns and unsupportive social interactions in breast cancer patients. Disclosure, the thoughts and feelings people communicate to others, and unsupportive social interactions, the upsetting or unsupportive responses people receive from others, have been infrequently studied in breast cancer patients. Sixty-six early stage breast cancer patients diagnosed less than one year completed a written questionnaire. Results indicated that the women reported confiding in family and friends more than in mental health workers. Fears of recurrence and worries about the effects of the illness on family members were the most important concerns, whereas concerns about body image were the least troublesome. Failure to disclose concerns was associated with low social support, high unsupportive social interactions, and low emotional well-being. Most of the unsupportive responses received from other people were either behaviors of minimizing or distancing. Unsupportive reactions were significantly associated with greater role limitations due to emotional problems and decreased social functioning. Implications for interventions and future research are discussed.

An Exploration of the Existential Experiences of Patients Following Curative Treatment for Cancer: Reflections from a U.K. Sample

“…Many had sought out and benefited from increased closeness with their family, friends and church since ending treatment, and some discussed the difficulty in dealing with the reality of cancer without such support. The importance of social support has been emphasised in previous studies, where social stigma, unsupportive relationships and the lack of a significant other have been linked to poorer adjustment and low emotional well-being (Else-Quest, LoConte, Schiller & Hyde, 2009;Figueiredo, Fries & Ingram, 2004;Powe, 1996). Congruently with the present study, religion has also been found to play a fundamental role in provoking feelings of security for individuals living with cancer (Landmark et al, 2001).…”

Aphasia blog talk: How does stroke and aphasia affect a person’s social relationships?

“…There is also evidence of health benefits to self-disclosure (Figueiredo, Fries, & Ingram, 2004), and conversely psychological costs to feeling inhibited about discussing one's illness (Herbette & Rime, 2004). For participants in the present project, the blogs were a forum where they could communicate their experiences to family, friends and the wider cyber community in a way that avoided having to manage background noise, follow group conversations, and other reported barriers to successful communication.…”

Intimacy and relationship processes in couples' psychosocial adaptation to cancer

“…Indeed, the degree to which patients disclose concerns has been a focus of several recent studies in the psycho-oncology literature. 114,115 We have adopted the conceptualization of intimacy described by Reis and Shaver 116 that has been labeled the interpersonal process model of intimacy.…”