Journal of Psychosocial Oncology (J Psychosoc Oncol)

Publications in this journal

• Article: Depression and undertreatment of depression: potential risks and outcomes in black patients with lung cancer.

  Lara Traeger, Sheila Cannon, William F Pirl, Elyse R Park
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  ABSTRACT: In the United States, Black men are at higher risk than White men for lung cancer mortality whereas rates are comparable between Black and White women. This article draws from empirical work in lung cancer, mental health, and health disparities to highlight that race and depression may overlap in predicting lower treatment access and utilization and poorer quality of life among patients. Racial barriers to depression identification and treatment in the general population may compound these risks. Prospective data are needed to examine whether depression plays a role in racial disparities in lung cancer outcomes.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 03/2013; 31(2):123-35.
• Article: Coping strategies and patient delay in patients with cancer.

  Anette Fischer Pedersen, Frede Olesen, Rikke Pilegaard Hansen, Robert Zachariae, Peter Vedsted
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  ABSTRACT: This study examined associations between avoidance and approach coping and patient delay in cancer patients (N = 1024). Approach coping was associated with short appraisal intervals (time from symptom discovery to recognition of symptom seriousness). Avoidance coping was associated with long appraisal intervals when adjusting for covariates. Help-seeking intervals (time from recognition of symptom seriousness to contact to general practitioner) were only associated with approach coping and only when adjusting for the influence of covariates. The results revealed a complex relationship between coping and patient delay and supported that normal processing of health threats implies avoidance and approach coping strategies.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 03/2013; 31(2):204-18.
• Article: Structural and reliability analysis of quality of relationship index in cancer patients.

  Florence Cousson-Gélie, Stéphanie de Chalvron, Carole Zozaya, Anaïs Lafaye
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  ABSTRACT: Among psychosocial factors affecting emotional adjustment and quality of life, social support is one of the most important and widely studied in cancer patients, but little is known about the perception of support in specific significant relationships in patients with cancer. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Quality of Relationship Inventory (QRI) by evaluating its factor structure and its convergent and discriminant validity in a sample of cancer patients. A total of 388 patients completed the QRI. Convergent validity was evaluated by testing the correlations between the QRI subscales and measures of general social support, anxiety and depression symptoms. Discriminant validity was examined by testing group comparison. The QRI's longitudinal invariance across time was also tested. Principal axis factor analysis with promax rotation identified three factors accounting for 42.99% of variance: perceived social support, depth, and interpersonal conflict. Estimates of reliability with McDonald's ω coefficient were satisfactory for all the QRI subscales (ω ranging from 0.75 - 0.85). Satisfaction from general social support was negatively correlated with the interpersonal conflict subscale and positively with the depth subscale. The interpersonal conflict and social support scales were correlated with depression and anxiety scores. We also found a relative stability of QRI subscales (measured 3 months after the first evaluation) and differences between partner status and gender groups. The Quality of Relationship Inventory is a valid tool for assessing the quality of social support in a particular relationship with cancer patients.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 03/2013; 31(2):153-67.
• Article: Coding and evaluating facilitator posts for an online cancer survivor workshop.

  Alexandra Ann Gits, Philip L Ritter, Kathryn Plant, Kate Lorig
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  ABSTRACT: One-hundred and forty-five people attended six online cancer survivor workshops. Each workshop was monitored by two facilitators, who generated a total of 1,537 online posts. The authors developed a scheme for coding facilitator posts, combining grounded codes with categories developed by Spiegel and Classen for coding therapist responses in cancer support groups. Participants received a mean of 10.6 facilitator posts. Improvement in two health outcomes (practice of mental relaxation and illness intrusiveness) were significantly correlated with supportive posts and total number of posts. The coding scheme was easily applied and appears reliable. The data suggests that more facilitation is better.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 03/2013; 31(2):219-34.
• Article: An Exploration of the Relative Influence of Patient's Age and Cancer Recurrence Status on Symptom Distress, Anxiety, and Depression Over Time.

  Mary M Step, George M Kypriotakis, Julia H Rose
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  ABSTRACT: Past research suggests that psychosocial responses to advanced or recurrent cancer vary by age. This study compares the relative influences of patients' age and recurrence status on indicators of symptom distress, anxiety, and depression following a diagnosis of advanced cancer. A prospective study of advanced cancer support provided patient outcome data reported at baseline, 3-, and 6-month intervals. Cohorts were defined by age group and recurrence status and latent growth curves fit to anxiety, depression, and symptom distress outcomes. Middle-age recurrent patients reported the highest symptom distress, depression, and anxiety across time points. Older recurrent patients fared worse at baseline than older nonrecurrent patients, but outcome scores converged across time points. Recurrent cancer presents a distinct challenge that, for middle-age patients, persists across time. It may be beneficial to develop targeted educational and support resources for middle-age patients with recurrent disease.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 03/2013; 31(2):168-90.
• Article: Validation of the Polish Version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-OG25 for the Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Esophagi-Gastric Cancer.

  Krzysztof Andrzej Tomaszewski, Mirosława Püsküllüoğlu, Katarzyna Biesiada, Justyna Bochenek, Jaroslaw Nieckula, Krzysztof Krzemieniecki
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  ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to validate the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and its esophagi-gastric module (QLQ-OG25) in their Polish language versions. Translation of the QLQ-OG25 was done according to EORTC guidelines. Each of the 98 patients filled out the two EORTC questionnaires and a personal questionnaire. Reliability and validity test were performed and patients' comments were analyzed. The Polish version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-OG25 are reliable and valid tools for measuring health-related quality of life in patients with esophagi-gastric cancer.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 03/2013; 31(2):191-203.
• Article: Stress Coping and Changes in Health Behavior Among Cancer Survivors: A Report from the American Cancer Society's Study of Cancer Survivors-II (SCS-II).

  Pratibha Parelkar, Nancy J Thompson, Chiew Kwei Kaw, Kathleen R Miner, Kevin D Stein
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  ABSTRACT: This study used the transactional model of stress and coping to examine the relationship between cancer survivors' self-reported efforts to manage stress and the adoption of health behaviors across various lifestyle behavior domains. The authors analyzed data of 2,888 cancer survivors from a national, population-based, cross-sectional survey. Cancer survivors who indicated making active efforts to control stress were more likely to make changes in their physical, psychosocial, and preventive health behaviors as compared to cancer survivors who used passive stress-coping approaches. Future interventions aimed at promoting health behaviors among cancer survivors may benefit from incorporating a stress-coping component.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 03/2013; 31(2):136-52.
• Article: An exploration of xhosa speaking patients' understanding of cancer treatment and its influence on their treatment experience.

  Mariana Lourens
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  ABSTRACT: Cultural beliefs often influence people in seeking appropriate health care. In South Africa, misperceptions and fear about medical interventions contribute to the fact that many indigenous people prefer to make use of traditional healers. This qualitative study explores Xhosa patients' perception of cancer and cancer treatment modalities, and their need for support. Language creates an image of the unknown to which people attach meaning. Oncology social workers play an important role in educating people about cancer and the treatment thereof, as doctors seldom have time to deal with the psychosocial aspects of cancer. Health care providers need to be sensitive to patients' perceptions to render the best possible cancer care.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(1):103-21.
• Article: Factors contributing to posttraumatic growth and its buffering effect in adult children of cancer patients undergoing treatment.

  Ricardo J Teixeira, M Graça Pereira
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  ABSTRACT: This study examined relationships among demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables in adult children of cancer patients. Two hundred and fourteen participants completed measures of posttraumatic growth (PTG), distress, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, social support, and family functioning. Significant gender differences in all PTG dimensions were found, as well as associations among PTG, gender, parental dependency, distress, PTSD, and family functioning. Social support was not a mediator in the relationship between gender and PTG. Gender, education, disease duration, dependency, distress, and family flexibility predicted PTG. Finally, PTG had a moderating effect in the relationship between distress and PTSD/social support. These results may guide psychosocial interventions in this population.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(3):235-65.
• Article: "Receptivity": an important factor affecting supportive care provision.

  Pamela McGrath
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  ABSTRACT: The research on psychosocial need provides the foundation informing the drive for the provision of supportive care services for patients and their families. The work on patient access, barriers to participation, and service evaluation are providing some insights that can help guide practitioners in their efforts to ensure that services designed to meet psychosocial need reach and involve the appropriate individuals. However, this direction is presently in its infancy leaving many questions unanswered. This article makes a contribution to advancing and strengthening this line of research through a fresh perspective on the topic provided by consumer research with individuals diagnosed with a hematological malignancy. The research was initiated and funded by the Leukaemia Foundation of Queensland (LFQ) with the aim of exploring the experience of survivorship for individuals diagnosed with a hematological malignancy to inform supportive care service provision and development. The findings from the research posit the notion of "receptivity" as an important new concept that can contribute to the deepening of our understanding of the myriad of factors associated with effectively engaging with individuals in supportive care service provision.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(1):30-50.
• Article: "A Bump in the Road"- Older Women's Views on Surviving Breast Cancer.

  Victoria Wochna Loerzel, Karen Aroian
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  ABSTRACT: Due to the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, surviving with breast cancer will become more common, but also more complicated, as older women are often dealing with additional chronic illnesses and problems of aging. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how older women view surviving breast cancer in context with aging. Findings suggest that most women are able to put their cancer experience in the background and come to view breast cancer as a bump in the road through expecting illness with aging, putting cancer in perspective, and sensing a partnership.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(1):65-82.
• Article: Illness perceptions and quality of life in Japanese and dutch women with breast cancer.

  Adrian A Kaptein, Kazue Yamaoka, Lucia Snoei, Willem A van der Kloot, Kenichi Inoue, T Tabei, Judith R Kroep, Elly Krol-Warmerdam, Gemma Ranke, Corrie Meirink, Aukje Does, Hans Nortier
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  ABSTRACT: Knowledge on cross-cultural quality of life (QOL) and illness perceptions may help women with breast cancer cope more effectively. The self regulation model (SRM) guided the current exploratory longitudinal pilot-study. Central to SRM is the perception of health threats and their effects on QOL. Illness perceptions and QOL were assessed in 22 Dutch and 21 Japanese patients with breast cancer who filled out questionnaires before, 1 week, and 8 weeks after the first chemotherapy course. The questionnaires assessed QOL and illness perceptions. Patients' scores were compared with groups of patients with other chronic somatic illnesses (asthma, diabetes). Patients in both samples reported major impact of chemotherapy on global health status, physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, constipation and diarrhea. Differences between Japanese and Dutch patients were limited to social functioning and financial problems. Japanese patients expressed stronger concerns about their illness than Dutch patients. Results of the Japanese and Dutch patients with breast cancer differed from data in patients with asthma on consequences, timeline, concern and emotional response. Results of Japanese patients differed from patients with type 2 diabetes on timeline and concern, whereas Dutch patients differed on timeline and consequences. Japanese and Dutch breast cancer patients have-overall-similar illness perceptions and QOL responses and are aware of the typical characteristics of their disease. The results support the feasibility of cross-cultural psychosocial research in oncology and offer implications for clinical interventions which impact on self-efficacy to empower patients with breast cancer.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(1):83-102.
• Article: Psychosocial needs of rural survivors of cancer and their partners.

  Michael Glasser, Kimberly Nielsen, Sky Niesen Smith, Candi Gray
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  ABSTRACT: It is important to understand the psychosocial needs of rural survivors of cancer to better serve this group. Survivors and partners filled out a pre-tested survey addressing general and mental health, quality of life and demographics. Twenty-nine survivors and 15 partners responded. Over 50% of both groups were at-risk for depression; 34% of the cancer survivors had some type of psychosocial problem requiring assistance. Areas to be targeted for psychosocial interventions for rural survivors include: management of side effects/complications of treatment; adjustment to changes in quality of life; emotional support; cancer impact on social relationships; uncertainty reduction.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(3):319-33.
• Article: Exploring the relationship between emotional intelligence and health-related quality of life in patients with cancer.

  Lourdes Rey, Natalio Extremera, Lourdes Trillo
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  ABSTRACT: This study examined the association between emotional intelligence (EI), personality, and its relation to health-related quality of life in 62 patients with cancer. Specially, the predictive and incremental validity of EI for predicting health-related quality of life beyond the level attributable to personality was examined. Emotional intelligence showed unique and significant variance in prediction of different health-related quality of life dimensions. These findings provide preliminary evidences that EI abilities are useful additions in the field of psycho-oncology. The potential value of including EI programs to complement current psychoeducational approaches aimed at preserving or improving cancer patient health-related quality of life is discussed.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(1):51-64.
• Article: Psychosocial adjustment and marital intimacy among partners of patients with breast cancer: a comparison study with partners of healthy women.

  Helena Moreira, Maria Cristina Canavarro
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  ABSTRACT: This cross-sectional study investigated the psychosocial adjustment of 70 partners of patients with breast cancer by comparing their emotional adjustment and quality of life (QoL) with 70 partners of women without cancer. The role of marital intimacy in their adjustment and the moderating effect of group type were analyzed. The partners of patients with breast cancer presented higher levels of anxious and depressive symptomatology; poor social, psychological, general and physical QoL; and higher levels of intimacy. The moderation analysis showed that higher levels of intimacy predicted lower levels of depression and anxiety and greater QoL only among the partners of cancer patients.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(3):282-304.
• Article: Cognitive adaptation theory and quality of life in late-stage cancer patients.

  Heidi Fowell Christianson, Jo M Weis, Nadya A Fouad
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  ABSTRACT: In this study, the question of whether using slightly illusionary, positive attributions of self, control, and meaning (e.g., cognitive adaptation theory), in the face of disconfirmatory evidence, facilitates quality of life in late-stage cancer patients was examined. Eighty late-stage cancer patients (Mean age = 59.7, SD = 12.5; 48.8% male, 51.2% female; varying cancer diagnoses) who recently failed or refused first line anti-neoplastic treatment completed questionnaires assessing meaning, control, self-esteem, and optimism, as well as physical and psychological quality of life. Findings suggest that greater self-esteem, control, and meaning predicted physical and psychological quality of life, with physical quality of life being influenced by control beliefs and psychological quality of life influenced by self-esteem. Optimism independently predicted physical quality of life and neither mediated nor moderated the relationship between cognitive adaptation and quality of life. Findings suggest that slightly positive, illusionary beliefs of self, control, and meaning predicted quality of life even in the presence of clear, disconfirmatory environmental evidence.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(3):266-81.
• Article: Racial differences in social support and coping among family caregivers of patients with prostate cancer.

  Anissa I Vines, Zewditu Demissie
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  ABSTRACT: More than 60 million Americans are informal caregivers to adults, which can negatively affect their health. Data from 126 White and 62 African American female caregivers in North Carolina were analyzed to describe social support and coping among family caregivers of patients with prostate cancer and to assess for racial differences. Social support amount and some coping methods differed by race. There was no racial difference in social support satisfaction. Borderline significant difference in social support by health status was found and this differed by race. These racial differences should be explored further to better understand the availability of caregiving resources and their health effects.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(3):305-18.
• Article: Sexual self-esteem and psychosocial functioning in military veterans after cancer.

  Maggie L Syme, Eileen Delaney, Jennifer Schuster Wachen, Jeffrey Gosian, Jennifer Moye
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  ABSTRACT: Little is known about the sexual well-being of male Veteran cancer survivors, or the relationship of sexual concerns to psychosocial adaptation postcancer. This study examined the association between sexual self-esteem and psychosocial concerns in male Veteran cancer survivors. Forty-one male survivors were recruited from a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital to participate in a pilot study addressing cancer survivorship care for Veterans. Sixty- to 90-minute interviews were conducted, assessing sociodemographic, medical, stress/burden (cancer-related posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression), and resource (social support, post-traumatic growth) variables. Twenty-one (51.2%) Veteran cancer survivors reported lowered sexual self-esteem as a result of cancer, which corresponded to significantly higher levels of depression and cancer-related PTSD. The lowered sexual self-esteem group also indicated significantly lower social support. Veteran cancer survivors with lowered sexual self-esteem tend to have higher levels of stress and lower levels of resources, putting them at risk for lowered quality of life. This increased risk highlights the importance of addressing sexual well-being in the survivorship care of Veterans.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(1):1-12.
• Article: Conditions That Are Significant for Advanced Cancer Patients' Coping with Their Suffering-as Experienced by Relatives.

  Susan Rydahl-Hansen
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  ABSTRACT: As long as life could be lived as before patients could cope with their problems. But the progression of the illness challenged feelings and filled life with increasing levels of chaos and feelings of powerlessness. Relatives became involved quite late in the patients' interaction with the professionals, an interaction that was characterized by lack of continuity and the professionals' focus on the patient's sick body. It was therefore seldom that professionals had insight into the family's resources and need for professional support. This made it more difficult for the family to evaluate, control and cope with their suffering. Instead, patients gradually adapted to the professionals' and relatives' priorities and sometimes their control over the increasingly failing and dying body.
  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 01/2013; 31(3):334-55.