Course of distress in breast cancer patients, their partners, and matched control couples.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies offer a limited perspective on the dynamic course of distress in cancer patients and their partners, owing to a restricted number of assessment points and the absence of comparison controls drawn from the general population.


OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the course of distress among breast cancer patients and their partners (N = 92 couples) in comparison to matched control couples (N = 64). Furthermore, the influence of neuroticism on distress was investigated.


METHODS
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was administered nine times over a 12-month period, and neuroticism was assessed at the beginning of the study using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire.


RESULTS
Multilevel analyses revealed that patients were more distressed during the first 15 months after diagnosis than nonpatients. A significant portion of the distress that could not be explained by the cancer experience was explained by neuroticism.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in distress between patients and comparison-control women are relatively small and decreased over time, while distress in male partners was not elevated in comparison to their controls.
Hinnen
Chris
C
Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School for Health Research, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Ranchor
Adelita V
AV
Sanderman
Robbert
R
Snijders
Tom A B
TA
Hagedoorn
Mariët
M
Coyne
James C
JC
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D012016:Reference Values; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors