title: Resilience and psychosocial adjustment in digestive system cancer.
abstract: The study aims to investigate the contributions of resilience, affective reactions and post traumatic growth (PTG) to psychosocial adjustment and behavioral changes among digestive system cancer patients in Israel. A sample of 200 participants, 57.5 % men (from the 46 to 70-year age range), 1-4 years following diagnosis, completed an inventory assessing demographic and medical information, resilience, current positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA), PTG, psychosocial adjustment and retrospective report of behavioral changes following cancer treatment. Resilience, PA and NA, and PTG were related to adjustment and/or reported behavioral changes, and PA, NA and PTG mediated some of the effects of resilience on adjustment and/or reported behavioral changes. The data underline the importance of resilience, affect, and PTG in the adjustment of digestive system cancer patients. Future studies are needed to better understand the associations of resilience with psychosocial adjustment and behavioral changes. This knowledge may help improve cancer survivors' adjustment.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Services, School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel, gozman_g@mac.org.il.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gouzman
authors.forename: Miri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Hasida
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben-Zur
authors.forename: Einat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shacham-Shmueli
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aderka
authors.forename: Nava
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siegelmann-Danieli
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beny
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology