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The influence of attachment and emotional support in end‐stage cancer
Author(s) -
Hunter Marcus J.,
Davis Penelope J.,
Tunstall Jennifer R.
Publication year - 2006
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.965
Subject(s) - attachment theory , psychology , anxiety , distress , context (archaeology) , emotional distress , affect (linguistics) , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , paleontology , communication , biology
The impact of attachment style and emotional support on negative affect in 67 end‐stage cancer patients was examined via self‐report inventory. Path analysis revealed high levels of both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were associated with lower levels of emotional support which, in turn, had a major adverse influence on patients' negative affect. In addition, attachment anxiety was also directly associated with distress. The discussion emphasises the importance of attachment theory and emotional support within the context of terminal cancer. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.