The dyadic regulation approach of coping and illness representations in female cancer patients and their partners.

Purpose: Adjustment to any illness is a 'dyadic' process whereby patients and their partners mutually determine each other's perceptions, behaviours, and well-being. The present study explored the association between dyadic coping strategies and illness representations in newly diagnosed female cancer patients and their partners. Methods: The sample consisted of 92 female cancer patient-partner pairs from 3 oncology hospitals in Greece and Cyprus. The Actor Partner Interdependence Model was applied to test for dyadic regulation effects. Results: The findings revealed that patients' evaluations of dyadic coping were related to their own illness representations and, in some cases, to partners' illness representations of control. However, partner evaluations of dyadic coping were not associated with either patients' or their own illness representations. Relationship satisfaction did not moderate the relationship between dyadic coping and illness representations. Implications: The study suggests that patients' perceptions of support provided by themselves and their partners play a significant role in shaping their illness representations. Future research could delve into the underlying reasons for the observed differences in the impact of dyadic coping on illness representations between patients and partners, considering factors such as gender roles and specific gender-related issues.

Changes over time in self-efficacy to cope with cancer and well-being in women with breast cancer: a cross-cultural study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether self-efficacy to cope with cancer changes over time in patients with breast cancer and whether these potential changes are similar across patients. It also aimed to examine whether these trajectories are related to patient psychological well-being and overall quality of life. METHODS: Participants (N = 404) from four countries (i.e. Finland, Israel, Italy, and Portugal) were enrolled in the study few weeks after breast surgery or biopsy. Self-efficacy to cope with cancer was assessed at baseline, six and 12 months later. Well-being indices were assessed at baseline, 12 and 18 months later. RESULTS: Using Latent Class Growth Analysis, two groups of patients were identified. The majority of patients reported high levels of self-efficacy to cope, which increased over time. For almost 15% of the patients, however, self-efficacy declined over time. Diminishing levels of self-efficacy to cope predicted worse levels of well-being. The pattern of self-efficacy changes and their relationships to well-being was consistent across countries. CONCLUSION: Monitoring self-efficacy to cope with cancer is probably important in order to detect alarming changes in its levels, as a declining self-efficacy to cope may serve as a signal of the need for intervention to prevent adaptation difficulties.

Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral mediators of the impact of coping self-efficacy on adaptation to breast cancer: An international prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this prospective multicenter study was to examine whether illness representations of control, affect, and coping behaviors mediate the effects of self-efficacy to cope with cancer on psychological symptoms and overall quality of life, in breast cancer patients. METHOD: Data from 413 women (Mean age = 54.87; SD = 8.01), coming from four countries (i.e., Finland, Israel, Italy, Portugal), who received medical therapy for their early breast cancer, were analyzed. Coping self-efficacy was assessed at baseline. Potential mediators were assessed three months later, and outcomes after six months. RESULTS: Coping self-efficacy was related to all mediators and outcomes. Illness representations of treatment control, positive and negative affect, and certain coping behaviors (mostly, anxiety preoccupation) mediated the effects of coping self-efficacy. Coping self-efficacy was related to each outcome through a different combination of mediators. CONCLUSIONS: Coping self-efficacy is a major self-regulation factor which is linked to well-being through multiple cognitive, emotional, and behavioral pathways. Enhancement of coping self-efficacy should be a central intervention goal for patients with breast cancer, towards promotion of their well-being.

Diseño y análisis de propiedades psicométricas del Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento en Respuesta al Cáncer (IEPRaC) / Design and psychometric properties analysis of the Thought Style in Response to Cancer Inventory (IEPRaC)

Una de las variables que ha sido definida como mediadora para la respuesta emocional ante el cáncer es el estilo de pensamiento. En contextos patológicos (por ejemplo, rumiación en depresión), y también en contextos normativos, se ha sugerido que el estilo de pensamiento puede predecir el ajuste ante un estresor. Existen instrumentos para evaluar de manera independiente los estilos de pensamiento (rumiación, evitación experiencial), pero ninguno está adaptado para población oncológica y ninguno incluye los tres estilos de pensamiento (rumiación, evitación y compromiso cognitivo). Objetivo: diseñar y estudiar las propiedades psicométricas de un instrumento que mida estilos de pensamiento en respuesta al diagnóstico oncológico. Método: Estudio instrumental, dividido en dos fases: la primera, elaboración de reactivos y jueceo de expertos y la segunda, análisis de propiedades psicométricas. Resultados: La versión final cuenta 15 ítems. La estructura interna resultó de tres factores, obtenidos a partir de un Análisis Factorial Exploratorio y corroborada mediante un Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio. Los valores de alfa de cronbach de las escalas resultaron adecuadas: la de Rumiación resultó de 0,87, la de Compromiso cognitivo de , 0,82 y de 0,72 la de evitación. Todos los ítems cuentan con evidencias de validez de contenido y propiedades psicométricas satisfactorias. La escala de Compromiso cognitivo fue la que obtuvo la puntuación media mayor y la de Rumiación mostró la menor. Conclusión: El Inventario de Estilos de Pensamiento en Respuesta al Cáncer (IEPRaC) cuenta con adecuadas propiedades psicométricas para ser utilizado en población oncológica mexicana (AU)

Thought style has been defined as one of the mediating variables to emotional response at a cancer diagnosis. It has been reported in pathological contexts (rumination in depression), but also in normative ones, it has been suggested that thought styles can predict adjustment to a stressor. There are measurement scales used to assess thought style independently (rumination, experiential avoidance), but none of them is adapted for oncologic population and none of them include all three thought styles. Aim: To design and assess psychometric properties of a scale of thought styles in response to a cancer diagnosis. Method: Instrumental Study, divided in two phases: the first, item elaboration and expert judge; the second, psychometric properties analysis. Results: Final version counts with 15 items. Intern Structure resulted in three factors, obtained by an Exploratory Factorial Analysis and corroborated by a Confirmatory Factorial Analisis. Cronbach’s alphas for the subscales resulted appropriate: for rumination 0.87, for cognitive engagement 0.82 and 0.72 for avoidance. All items have evidence for content validity and adequate psychometric properties. Results of Cognitive Engagement subscale had the higher mean and Rumination subscale was the lowest. Conclusion: Thought style in response to a cancer diagnosis scale (IERPaC) has adequate psychometric properties to be used in Mexican oncologic patients (AU)

The relation of spouse illness representations to patient representations and coping behavior: A study in couples dealing with a newly diagnosed cancer.

The central role of spouses/partners in patients' adaptation to cancer is well-established, but few studies have examined how partners facilitate adaptation. The Common Sense Model posits that a representation of illness as more controllable and less threatening promotes adaptive coping, but this has not been examined in a dyadic context. This cross-sectional study examined the relations of spouse illness representations of personal and treatment control, and emotional representations to recently diagnosed cancer patients' coping behaviors, through patient illness representations. One hundred forty-nine heterosexual couples (39.60% female patients; 77.18% dealing with early stage cancer) participated in the study. Structural Equation Modeling showed that spouse illness representations were related to patient coping directly and indirectly through patient illness representations. Both partners' representations of control were related to greater patient adaptive coping, and both partners' emotional representations were related to greater dysfunctional coping. These findings highlight the importance of partner illness representations in patients' adaptation to cancer. They also suggest that early intervention programs that address both partners' illness representations may enhance patients' adaptation to cancer.