Social Supports as Stress Buffers for Adult Cancer Patients

Abstract

Although a growing body of research evidence suggests that persons encountering stressful life circumstances are protected from potential declines in health and well-being by supportive relationships, the evidence for the stress-buffering qualities of social support for cancer patients is equivocal. This study examines the relationship between naturally occurring, supportive behaviors and psychological adjustment to the illness for 32 nonhospitalized adult cancer patients, and includes follow-up data collected 7 months after the initial interview. Results indicated that although support appeared to have few effects on adjustment at either time point for the sample as a whole, social support was related to poorer adjustment for patients not undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments, or for those with many limitations on physical functioning. These findings, though tentative because of the sample size, point to the need to consider the specific contextual stresses the cancer patient is experiencing in evaluating psychosocial adjustment to the illness, and suggest caution in assuming social supports to be a universal boon.

Posttraumatic Growth and Recovery from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

“…In support of this premise, crosssectional studies have associated benefit finding with more positive affect (Tomich & Helgeson, 2002); less negative affect (Revenson et al, 1983); better psychological adjustment (Taylor, 1983;Taylor et al, 1984); better coping (Thompson, 1985); and fewer physical symptoms (van Oyen Witvliet et al, 2010). Although Tedeschi and Calhoun (2004) view growth as a lengthy process, it has been reported soon after the event, even as early as two weeks (Frazier et al, 2001).…”

Psychotherapy for the Spouses of Lung Cancer Patients: Assessment of an Intervention

“…This paper presents data from a study designed to examine the effects of providing a counseling intervention to the significant key other (SKO) of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients. Consistent with Mechanic's [1974] claim that 'the ability of persons to maintain psychological comfort will depend not only on their intrapsychic resources, but also -and perhaps more important -on the social supports available or absent in the environment', it is now generally believed that effective social support might be a cru cial factor in psychological adaptation during terminal illness [Revenson et al, 1983;Gibbs and Achterberg-Lawlis, 1978;Bloom, 1982]. Reviews of the survival of cancer patients have supported the importance of family ties for physical outcome with Weisman and Worden [1975] suggesting that 'patients who live significantly longer than expected tend to maintain cooperative and usually sustaining relationships... (while) patients with death wishes, depression, apathy, and mutually de structive relationships survive for shorter pe riods'.…”

Well-being of haemophilia patients: a model for direct and indirect effects of medical parameters on the physical and psychosocial functioning

“…The social experiences checklist (SEC) was used to measure perceived support in terms of positive and negative experiences in social interactions (Tempelaar et al, 1987;Van Oostrom et al, 1995). This list is partly based on the social support questionnaire of Revenson et al (1983). Subjects were asked to rate positive and negative experiences that occurred in the preceding week.…”