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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Mental Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1453830
This article is part of the Research Topic New Approaches for Improving Equity in Mental Health Research, Treatment, and Policy View all 15 articles

A dyadic analysis of family adaptation among breast cancer patients and their spouses, based on the framework of family stress coping theory

Provisionally accepted
Zhangyi Ding Zhangyi Ding 1Yarong Fan Yarong Fan 2*Gaoxiang Zhong Gaoxiang Zhong 1Xinmiao Zhang Xinmiao Zhang 1*Xichen Li Xichen Li 1*Yan Qiao Yan Qiao 1*Huixia Cui Huixia Cui 3*
  • 1 Department of Nursing, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
  • 2 School of Nursing, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
  • 3 School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background:For breast cancer patients, the active coping of family members can help patients better cope with the crisis, and family adaptation is a manifestation of the family's active coping with the crisis. In the study of breast cancer, a female cancer with a high incidence, we explored the influence of spouses on patients' family adaptation. This was not explored in previous studies. Purpose: In recent years, with the development of family stress coping theory, cancer coping styles have shifted from the individual to a whole-family approach, which has the potential to help families of cancer patients adapt to the crisis. This study aimed to explore the correlation between dyadic coping, family adaptation, and benefit finding in couples with breast cancer. Methods:Using convenience sampling, the study encompassed 325 pairs of breast cancer patients and their spouses who attended breast surgery, oncology, and chemotherapy centers between April and November 2023. The survey utilized the patient and spouse General Information Questionnaire, the Dyadic Coping Scale, the Benefit Finding Scale, and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.0 and Amos 24.0 software. Results:In the actor effect of dyadic coping on family adaptation, the benefit finding of patients and their spouses played a mediating role. Regarding the partner effect (B = 0.019, 95% CI = 0.003-0.045, P < 0.05), the dyadic coping of spouses indirectly affected the family adaptation of patients through the benefit findings of patients. The patient's dyadic coping can directly affect the spouse's family adaptation. The spouse's dyadic coping can influence the patient's benefit finding. Conclusions:There is a partial interaction between breast cancer patients and their spouses' dyadic coping, benefit finding, and family adaptation. Therefore, clinical staff should timely identify patients and spouses with poor coping ability, and provide them with positive psychological intervention to enhance the dyadic coping ability between husband and wife, help them overcome the problems encountered in the treatment process, and better cope with family crises.

    Keywords: Dyadic coping, Family adaptation, Benefit finding, Family Stress Coping theory, Actor-partner

    Received: 24 Jun 2024; Accepted: 04 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ding, Fan, Zhong, Zhang, Li, Qiao and Cui. 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:
    Yarong Fan, School of Nursing, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi Province, China
    Xinmiao Zhang, Department of Nursing, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
    Xichen Li, Department of Nursing, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
    Yan Qiao, Department of Nursing, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
    Huixia Cui, School of Nursing, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241002, Anhui Province, China

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