Factors related to patient's mental adjustment to breast cancer: patient characteristics and family functioning.

Previous studies have suggested that patients who adopted a coping response characterized as helplessness or hopelessness reported higher levels of psychological distress than patients who adopted a response characterized as fighting spirit. There are also studies suggesting a relationship between family functioning and psychological well-being of cancer patients and their family members. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between breast cancer patients' coping response to the diagnosis of cancer and family functioning. A total of 46 postoperative ambulatory female breast cancer patients and their husbands participated in this study. Patients and husbands completed the Family Assessment Device (FAD), and patients also completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale. They filled in these self-report questionnaires at home. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that patients' perception of poor family functioning in the area of Communication measured by the FAD correlated with high Helplessness/Hopelessness score of the MAC, whereas high education in the patients was correlated with low Fighting Spirit score on the MAC. The results suggested a link between a patient's attitude of helplessness or hopelessness in the face of cancer and inappropriate communication among family members. Consequently, health care professionals should devote attention not only to the patient but also to other family members and intervene to promote appropriate communication patterns among the family members.