Coping strategies and psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between coping mechanisms and psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer receiving chemotherapy.


METHODS
Descriptive, correlational study.


METHODS
Private and public hospitals in New York, NY.


METHODS
132 patients, ages 33-83, with advanced breast, ovarian, lung, colorectal, or other cancers.


METHODS
Mail survey using the Ways of Coping Inventory-Cancer Version and the Profile of Mood States.


METHODS
Coping strategies, psychological distress.


RESULTS
The coping strategies distancing, cognitive escape-avoidance, and behavioral escape-avoidance were related to psychological distress. Distancing was negatively related (r = -0.25) and cognitive escape-avoidance (r = 0.38) and behavioral escape-avoidance (r = 0.38) were positively related to psychological distress (p < 0.01). Collectively, the coping strategies explained 36% of the variance of psychological distress. The most important coping mechanism contributing to overall psychological distress was behavioral escape-avoidance, followed by cognitive escape-avoidance.


CONCLUSIONS
Low levels of psychological distress were associated with low levels of cognitive and behavioral escape-avoidance and high levels of distancing.


CONCLUSIONS
Nursing interventions that reduce cognitive and behavioral escape-avoidance and enhance distancing should be tested, through further research, in relation to their ability to decrease psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer.
Zabalegui
A
A
School of Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. azabaleg@csc.unica.edu
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires