For patients, a cancer diagnosis is a stressful, exceptional situation that can be enormously challenging emotionally and psychologically. It is not uncommon for those affected to develop anxiety, depression or, in some cases, aggression against themselves and their environment. Adaptive coping strategies and a high degree of resilience can help patients get through this difficult time. But how can positive coping strategies be consciously promoted in practice?
Coping with cancer mainly involves certain behaviours, actions and also thoughts that help a person to accept their own life situation and deal with it in a positive/constructive way.
A recent study examined 170 cancer patients on this topic and recorded their emotional status, perceived quality of life and how they deal with their own disease with the help of validated questionnaires (Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), General Health Questionnaires SF-12 and GHQ-12).
It was found that patients with high resilience scores also coped better with the diagnosis and were more emotionally able to cope with the disease. Adaptive behaviour (acceptance, problem-solving behaviour, etc.) was positively associated with resilience. People with non-adaptive behaviour (denial, brooding, self-pity, etc.), on the other hand, were also less resilient and therefore more often mentally affected and stressed.
The results have some significance for the mental health of those affected. This is because a greater focus on positive adaptive strategies seems to improve resilience in difficult life situations.
In this way, adaptive coping strategies bring about greater resilience, so that the mind can better adapt to the changed life situation. The side effects of cancer therapy as well as the possibly negative effects of the disease are thus better absorbed and coped with.
Non-adaptive coping strategies, on the other hand, could lead to greater psychological stress. This increases the risk of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the affected patients. As a result, the psychological quality of life decreases and more illness-related symptoms such as fatigue or poor sleep quality occur. This can ultimately even have a negative impact on the course of oncological treatment.
This work shows once again how important the psycho-oncological and also the psycho-social support of tumour patients is. Such interventions can be helpful, for example, in reducing the risks of psychological strain and disease-related stress.
The focus is on the patient as an individual. He/she should be guided and receive advice. The declared goal is to strengthen the patients and to promote awareness of how to cope with the disease. Cancer patients benefit from psychological and psychosocial aid in everyday hospital life. Therefore, the study authors recommend that such support should be offered. This is because it ensures appropriate clinical care and supports patients in coping with their illness.
Reference:
Maciá P et al, Resilience and coping strategies in relation to mental health outcomes in people with cancer. PLoS ONE 2021; 16(5): e0252075