Factors associated with psychosocial adjustment in newly diagnosed young to middle-aged women with breast cancer: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the psychosocial adjustment of young to middle-aged women who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer and to determine the comprehensive risk factors contributing to psychosocial adjustment.

Methods: This study was carried out on 358 young to middle-aged women who recently received a breast cancer diagnosis in two hospitals in Guangzhou, China. Participants reported data about sociodemographic characteristics, disease and treatment information, coping modes, social support, self-efficacy, and psychosocial adjustment. To analyze the data, the researchers utilized independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression.

Results: The results showed that the participants exhibited a moderate level of psychosocial maladjustment, with a mean score of 42.44 ± 15.38. Additionally, 30.4% of the participants were classified as having severe psychosocial maladjustment. The study identified the coping mode of acceptance-resignation (β = 0.367, P < 0.001), mode of avoidance (β = -0.248, P = 0.001), social support (β = -0.239, P < 0.001), self-efficacy (β = -0.199, P = 0.001) as factors that impacted the level of psychosocial adjustment.

Conclusions: Psychosocial adjustment among young to middle-aged women who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer is affected by self-efficacy, social support, and coping modes. Healthcare professionals should pay attention to psychosocial adjustment in young to middle-aged women with breast cancer at the time of diagnosis, and could formulate effective interventions to improve their psychosocial adjustment by increasing self-efficacy, promoting social support, and encouraging effective coping.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Newly diagnosed; Psychosocial adjustment; Young to middle-aged.