Measuring emotion regulation and emotional expression in breast cancer patients: A systematic review

Brandão, Tânia; Tavares, Rita; Schulz, Milford D.; Matos, Paula Mena

doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2015.10.002

Cited by 76 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 105 publications

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“…Although some studies examined dimensions related to emotion regulation (eg, coping and rumination), there are constructs central to emotion regulation that have not been studied sufficiently (eg, suppression and positive reappraisal). Because emotion regulation and expression play an important role in psychological adjustment in the context of BC , we recommend the inclusion of such variables in future studies to examine if and how they influence long‐term psychological adjustment to BC .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological adjustment after breast cancer: a systematic review of longitudinal studies

2016

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Objectives: Breast cancer (BC) can be a traumatic and stressful experience for women but there are wide-ranging differences in the ways in which women respond and adapt to BC. This systematic review examines which sociodemographic, disease-related, and psychosocial factors near diagnosis predict later psychological adjustment to BC. Methods:Database searches were conducted in nine different health-related databases from 2000 to December 2015 using relevant search terms. Full-text, peer-reviewed articles in English that analyzed potential predictors of psychological adjustment in longitudinal studies were considered for inclusion.Results: Of 1780 abstracts 41 studies fulfilled inclusion criteria. Consistent sociodemographic and disease-related variables predictors of adjustment were income, fatigue, cancer stage, and physical functioning. Psychosocial factors, particularly optimism and trait-anxiety, as well as perceived social support, coping strategies, and initial levels of psychological functioning were found to be predictive of later depressive and anxiety symptoms, psychological distress, and quality of life for women with BC, in predictable ways. Other psychosocial variables, such as cognitive and body image factors, predicted psychological adjustment but were explored only by a few studies. Conclusions:The majority of studies showed a significant relationship between psychosocial factors and psychological adjustment. These results point to specific sociodemographic, disease-related, and psychosocial factors that can help to identify women at the time of diagnosis who are at risk for long-term psychological challenges so they can be referred for psychological support that targets their specific needs and can improve their quality of life and mood, and decrease indicators of anxiety, depression and psychological distress.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological adjustment after breast cancer: a systematic review of longitudinal studies

2016

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“…Conversely, up to 35% of cancer patients maintain high levels of well‐being . Given that distress in cancer has been linked with severity of cancer symptoms, reduced treatment compliance, increased psychiatric morbidity, increased mortality rate, and lower quality of life (QoL), it is important to understand why some patients develop significant distress and others do not …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Emotion regulation in the context of cancer has been linked to patients' adaptation, well‐being and QoL . However, much of the knowledge on emotion regulation in cancer has come from the study of coping processes .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring emotion regulation as a mediator of the relationship between resilience and distress in cancer

et al. 2019

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Objectives Distress in patients with cancer is a significant problem that affects up to 32% of patients. Yet research indicates that 35% of cancer patients do maintain high levels of well‐being. Resilience is one psychological factor implicated as being protective against distress; however, the mechanisms for this relationship are currently unknown. The present study aimed to explore emotion regulation as a potential mediator of the relationship between resilience and distress. Methods A cross‐sectional survey examining emotional regulation, resilience, and distress was completed by 227 patients from two hospitals with heterogeneous cancer types. Measures included the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale. Results Difficulties in emotion regulation and resilience explained 33.2% of the variance in distress. Resilience had a significant direct effect on distress, accounting for 15.8% of the variance. However, this effect was no longer significant when difficulties in emotion regulation were controlled for. The indirect effect through difficulties in emotion regulation was significant, b = 0.009, 95% CI [−0.013,−0.007], suggesting that the effect of resilience on distress was fully mediated by emotion regulation. Parallel mediation analyses also examined the differential effects of the six DERS subscales on the relationship between resilience and distress. Conclusion These findings suggest that emotion regulation is an important mediator of resilience in cancer. Hence, in patients with cancer, difficulties in emotion regulation (and the DERS specifically) might be a useful focus for screening for patients at risk of distress.

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“…Avoidant emotion processes have been linked to adaptational difficulties in breast cancer patients (Brandão et al, 2016). This study seeks to understand the role that two specific avoidant emotion processes play in adapting to breast cancer, namely emotion suppression and lack of emotional awareness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attachment and adaptation to breast cancer: The mediating role of avoidant emotion processes

2018

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Attachment insecurity is associated with difficulties in adapting to cancer. Accumulating evidence points to the influence of avoidant emotion processes in this association. This study explored this pathway by examining the association between attachment insecurity and quality of life in women with breast cancer, and by exploring the mediating role of two avoidant emotion processes in this association. Women with breast cancer (N = 155) completed measures of attachment, emotional suppression, emotional awareness and quality of life. Avoidance of attachment was positively associated with emotional suppression (β = .29, p < .01) and lack of emotional awareness (β = .27, p < .01), and negatively associated with quality of life (β = -.22, p < .05). Lack of emotional awareness partially mediated the relationship between attachment avoidance and quality of life (indirect effect β = -.12, p = .008). Attachment anxiety was not associated with any variable. Attachment avoidance may hinder the process of adaptation to breast cancer and difficulties in identifying and describing emotions may be partly responsible for this influence. Access to and ability to benefit from social and medical supports is likely to depend on being able to engage with others and recognise and process emotions effectively. Research and clinical implications are discussed.

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Measuring emotion regulation and emotional expression in breast cancer patients: A systematic review

Cited by 76 publications

References 105 publications

Psychological adjustment after breast cancer: a systematic review of longitudinal studies

Psychological adjustment after breast cancer: a systematic review of longitudinal studies

Exploring emotion regulation as a mediator of the relationship between resilience and distress in cancer

Attachment and adaptation to breast cancer: The mediating role of avoidant emotion processes

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