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The correlation between coping strategies, doctor–patient/spouse relationships and psychological distress among women cancer patients and their spouses
Author(s) -
Gilbar Ora,
Zusman Alla
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.1168
Subject(s) - spouse , coping (psychology) , distress , clinical psychology , paternalism , psychological distress , psychology , social support , medicine , psychiatry , psychotherapist , mental health , sociology , anthropology , political science , law
Objectives : The objectives of the study were (1) to assess similarities and differences between women cancer patients and their spouses in terms of coping strategies, psychological distress and doctor–patient/spouse relationships; and (2) to investigate the impact of formal social support, namely the doctor–patient relationship and coping strategies, on patients' and spouses' psychological distress. Method : Fifty‐seven women with cancer, and their spouses, completed questionnaires that measured distress (BSI), coping strategies (PF, EF) and doctor–patient relationships (Pat, Md). Results : Patient distress was greater than that of spouses. Patients used more strategies involving problem‐focused coping than spouses. A positive relationship was found between patients and spouses in terms of psychological distress, paternalism and emotion‐focused strategies. Emotion‐focused strategies were found to impact patient psychological distress, as indicated in a hierarchical regression model. Conclusion : The paternalism relationship model is an important factor in patient psychological distress but not in spousal psychological distress. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.