title: Cancer patients' and partners' psychological distress and quality of life: influence of gender role.
abstract: Three hundred cancer patients and romantic partners of cancer patients were surveyed regarding their psychological distress, quality of life, and gender-role identity. Specifically, we considered whether cancer patients and partners differed in psychological distress, and quality of life as a function of their gender-role identities. Results indicated that individuals who ascribed to either a masculine or an undifferentiated gender-role identity, regardless of whether they were a patient or a partner, were more at risk for developing depressive symptoms as compared to those who ascribed to a feminine or androgynous gender-role identity. Also, partners of cancer patients were more at risk for developing anxiety symptoms as compared to cancer patients, regardless of gender-role identity. There were no significant differences among gender-role identities or role status in regard to quality of life.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA.
authors.forename: Vanessa I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Pikler
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D057227:Femininity; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057228:Masculinity; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D014189:Transsexualism / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult