IntroductionThe aim of the present study is to carry out a multidimensional analysis on the relation between satisfaction with social support received, resilience and optimism in cancer patients and their quality of life.Materials and MethodsData were gathered through questionnaires fulfilled by 142 cancer patients. Data relate to sociodemographic, health, quality of life, social support, resilience and optimism.ResultsSatisfaction with the sources and types of support, resilience and optimism relates positively with quality of life. Predictive models show that informational support from friends is the variable that most increases patients’ general health, while emotional support from the partner is the one that best improves how patients cope with the disease. In the same line, emotional support from the partner, together with informational support from family are the ones that most contribute to reduce patients’ symptoms. Resilience improves general health and functioning, and reduces symptoms. Patients’ optimism and resilience also reduce symptoms. Gender differences were found, with females showing lower quality of life than males, mainly in how they cope with cancer. Patients in the stage of treatment showed lower quality of life and higher symptoms. Such increase was observed in patients who received hormonotherapy or chemotherapy.DiscussionImportant practical implications can be drawn from results, which could help improve cancer patients’ quality of life through intervention strategies aimed at increasing their resilience, optimism and the social support provided by their closer sources.

Objetivo: El presente estudio se plantea como objetivo principal analizar cómo la percepción de apoyo de los padres de niños diagnosticados con enfermedad oncológica influye en la percepción de estrés y la satisfacción vital. Método: Participaron 112 padres de niños con patología oncológica que recibían tratamiento en Málaga y pertenecían a una asociación de padres de niños afectados por esta enfermedad. Resultados: Respecto a las fuentes analizadas la percepción de apoyo familiar disminuye la frecuencia del estrés, el apoyo de los amigos y de las asociaciones disminuye el esfuerzo relacionado con el estrés y el apoyo de la pareja aumenta la satisfacción vital de los progenitores. Respecto a los tipos de apoyo, el apoyo instrumental es el que más reduce la frecuencia del estrés de los progenitores, el apoyo informacional reduce el estrés relacionado con el esfuerzo que los padres deben realizar y es la satisfacción con el apoyo emocional la variable que mejor predice la satisfacción vital. Conclusión: El análisis multidimensional del apoyo social ha permitido analizar con mayor profundidad la complejidad de las relaciones de apoyo social que acontecen durante la enfermedad oncológica de los hijos. Del estudio se derivan importantes implicaciones prácticas.

Introduction: The aim of the present study is to carry out a multidimensional analysis of the relationship of social support with quality of life and the stress perceived by cancer patients. Methods: The participants were 200 patients with cancer. Data was gathered on sociodemographic characteristics, health, quality of life, social support and perceived stress. Results: Frequency of and satisfaction with different sources and types of support are related positively with improvement of quality of life and negatively with perceived stress. The emotional support from the partner and the emotional and informational support from the family are significant predictors of quality of life. Emotional support from the family reduces patients’ perceived stress. Satisfaction with emotional support from the partner and with the informational support from friends and family increases quality of life. Satisfaction with emotional support from the family and with informational support from friends decreases patients’ perceived stress. Instrumental support and support provided by health professionals are not good predictors of quality of life and perceived stress. Satisfaction with the support received is more significantly related with quality of life and stress than the frequency with which the sources provide support. Conclusions: These results have important practical implications to improve cancer patients’ quality of life and reduce their perceived stress through social support. Designing intervention strategies to improve satisfaction with the support provided to patients by their closest networks results in a global benefit for the patient’s quality of life.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to determine the relation between the satisfaction of parents of children with cancer with the social support received and provided from a multidimensional perspective (sources and types of support) and the disruptions that take place in different areas of their lives (partner, children, family, social relations, and economic and employment situation) Method: One hundred twelve parents of children diagnosed with cancer who received treatment at the Mother and Child Hospital of Málaga (Spain) were recruited. Data were gathered through self-reporting measures. The instrument used includes a questionnaire about socio-demographic variables, a questionnaire about parents’ adjustment to the situation and a questionnaire about social support received and provided based on the different sources and types of support. Results: There is a negative and significant relation between satisfaction with support received and provided and the magnitude of disruptions in parents’ lives. Conclusion: Satisfaction with emotional support received from the partner and family, and support provided to these sources, relate to lower disruption in different areas of parents’ lives. These results can have significant practical implications for the psychosocial care provided to parents of children with cancer.

There is a growing interest in improving the teaching–learning process at all levels of education, including higher education. In recent years, university institutions have been taking action to renew and modernize the way in which they teach and learn, making the process more dynamic and closer to the current social reality. Competencies such as the ability to work in a team have become essential for the successful implementation of innovative methodologies in which student participation is particularly relevant. Student acceptance is key to the success of any teaching methodology; however, the influence of group work skills on satisfaction with innovative methodologies such as project-based learning (PBL) has not yet been tested among university students. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore the association between group work competencies and satisfaction with PBL. A total sample of 359 students from two Spanish universities participated in the research. Our results reveal that there is a significant and positive relationship between competencies related to group work and satisfaction with PBL. In addition, a multiple regression analysis shows that the competencies “Conception of group work,” “Usefulness of group work,” “Planning of group work by teachers,” and “Group norms” increase satisfaction with the use of the PBL methodology. This work expands our knowledge about the role in increasing students’ satisfaction that is played by the ability of college students to work as a team. These findings could also guide teachers interested in new teaching methodologies.