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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Public Mental Health
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1526217
The impact of depression on the quality of life of lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: mediating effects of perceived social support
Provisionally accepted- People’s Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, China
Background: Quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer has been a key research area. Numerous studies have examined the relationships among depression, perceived social support (PSS), and QOL. However, the mechanisms underlying PSS in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy remain underexplored. Objective: To investigate the mediating role of PSS in the relationship between depression and QOL in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: A convenience sample of 390 lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy was selected from the outpatient clinics and wards of the Department of Oncology at a tertiary hospital in Deyang City between January 2024 and June 2024. Participants completed a general information questionnaire, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSSS), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung Cancer (FACT-L) scale. SPSS 26.0 was used to analyze correlations between depression, PSS, and QOL, while AMOS 26.0 assessed the mediating effect of PSS on the relationship between depression and QOL.The mean scores for depression, PSS, and QOL were 39.79±11.63, 68.96±13.09, and 66.43±23.67, respectively. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that depression was negatively correlated with QOL (r = -0.319, P < 0.001) and positively correlated with PSS (r = -0.484, P < 0.001). Additionally, PSS was positively correlated with QOL (r = 0.349, P < 0.001). PSS partially mediated the relationship between depression and QOL, with a mediating effect value of -0.165, accounting for 50.3% of the total effect.Depression in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy directly impacts QOL and indirectly affects it through PSS. Clinically, healthcare providers should address depression in these patients and offer psychological support and interventions as needed. Additionally, medical institutions can implement targeted strategies to help patients build a strong social support system, reduce negative emotions, enhance psychological well-being, and improve overall QOL.
Keywords: lung cancer, Depression, perceived social support, Quality of Life, mediation effect
Received: 11 Nov 2024; Accepted: 04 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Xu, Xie, Li, Zhong and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Xiaoli Zhong, People’s Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, China
Jiquan Zhang, People’s Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, China
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