Identification of Cognitive Strategies Used by Cancer Patients as a Basis for Psychological Self-Support during Oncological Therapy

Abstract

Background: Cancer diagnosis is associated not only with health problems but also with psycho-social disability. Both medical and non-medical problems have impacts on cancer patients’ quality of life. The aim of the study was the identification of cognitive emotion regulation strategies among cancer patients during radiotherapy. Methods: The study was conducted on 78 radically treated cancer patients (median 63 years). A Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) was used. Results: Cancer patients mostly used acceptance, positive refocusing, putting into perspective and refocus on planning. Age was inversely correlated with refocus on planning. Patients with higher levels of education tended to use rumination and catastrophizing less frequently (p < 0.05). Adaptive cognitive strategies based on putting into perspective were more frequently used by professionally active patients (p < 0.05). Patients who lived in cities used positive refocusing and putting into perspective significantly often and patients who lived in villages more frequently used catastrophizing (p < 0.05). Among lung cancer patients, catastrophizing and rumination were popular (p < 0.05) and breast cancer patients rarely used non-adaptive cognitive strategies. Conclusion: Cancer patients tended to use adaptive cognitive strategies. Personalized psychological support should be focused on lung cancer patients and older, less educated, unemployed individuals and people who lived in the countryside.

Alexithymia, Self-Compassion, Emotional Resilience, and Cognitive Emotion Regulation: Charting the Emotional Journey of Cancer Patients

“…Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), another focal point of the study, showed that cancer patients were more prone to self-blame, rumination, and catastrophizing, while demonstrating lower scores in adaptive strategies like positive refocusing and positive reappraisal. The inclination to catastrophize, coupled with tendencies for self-blame, can augment feelings of despair and powerlessness, further eroding their psychological well-being [11,[30][31][32].…”

“…While resilience, defined as the ability to "bounce back" and adapt amidst adversity, emerges as a pivotal construct [10], cognitive emotional regulation strategies-how individuals consciously manage and respond to emotionally laden situations-play an equally indispensable role. These strategies can range from re-appraisal and acceptance to suppression, guiding patients in processing and grappling with the intricate nuances of their diagnosis and treatment journey [11].…”

“…Collectively, these elements-resilience, cognitive emotional regulation, and alexithymia-paint a comprehensive portrait of the adaptive and maladaptive psychological tools that could potentially influence the emotional and mental well-being of cancer patients [10,11,13,15].…”

Psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Chinese version of the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire‐short in patients with cancer

“…15 Further research has shown that patients living in urban areas were more likely to use putting into perspective and positive refocusing strategies than those in rural areas. 16 Age showed a negative association with refocusing on planning. 16 These findings indicate that cognitive emotion regulation strategies may vary among gender, residence, and age.…”

Is It Possible to Notice the Unmet Non-Medical Needs among Cancer Patients? Application of the Needs Evaluation Questionnaire in Men with Lung Cancer

“…People who smoke also often abuse alcohol [ 5 ]. Our previous study showed that lung cancer patients significantly most frequently used catastrophizing and rumination during oncological treatment [ 8 ]. Weiss et al [ 9 ] demonstrated that smoking was a significant predictor of personal stigmatization among patients with lung cancer.…”