Coping and Psychosocial Adaptation: Longitudinal Effects Over Time and Stages in Breast Cancer

Abstract

Objectives This study examined the relationship between coping and psychosocial adaptation in cancer patients over time and across distinct clinical events. Methods In a prospective longitudinal study 74 patients with breast cancer were observed for 3 to 5 years at 3- to 6-month intervals. A total of 684 interviews were conducted at different observation points. Three rating scales were used to assess coping and adjustment: first, the Bernese Coping Modes, an observer rating scale devised to elicit 26 coping modes aggregated in this paper as the five Basic Coping Strategies of support, self-control, denial, diverting, and negative-emotional; second, an observer rating scale to ascertain psychosocial adaptation; and third, a self-rating scale as a measure of either emotional distress or well-being. Results a) When aggregated in illness stages, coping and distress data on the observed clinical time points showed greater variability than time measures alone (analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures p Conclusions In long-term studies on psychosocial adaptation and coping, stage-related measures should be preferred to time measures alone. The implications of different strategies for the psychological treatment of cancer patients are discussed.