Coping-Related Variables Associated with Individual Differences in Adjustment to Cancer

Figures & data

TABLE 1 Descriptive Statistics for the Primary Variables

Variable	M (SD)	Range	Variable	M (SD)	Range
Anxiety	8.11 (4.62)	0–21	Brief COPE
Depression	5.39 (4.00)	0–21	Active coping	4.14 (1.52)	0–6
Positive affect	9.47 (2.87)	0–12	Denial	1.20 (1.50)	0–6
Happiness	6.04 (2.38)	0–10	Substance use	0.44 (1.12)	0–6
Social support	9.10 (2.80)	0–12	Emotional support	4.76 (1.49)	0–6
Hope	17.66 (4.07)	1–24	Behavioral	0.56 (1.06)	0–6
			disengagement
Benefit finding	16.42 (5.28)	3–24	Venting	2.28 (1.53)	0–6
Emotional processing	6.95 (3.08)	0–12	Instrumental support	3.64 (1.60)	0–6
Emotional expression	7.81 (2.73)	0–12	Positive reframing	3.31 (1.84)	0–6
QLQ-C30			Self-blame	1.38 (1.61)	0–6
Emotional functioning	56.81 (24.45)	0–100	Planning	3.90 (1.74)	0–6
Physical functioning	72.74 (25.67)	0–100	Humor	1.91 (1.74)	0–6
Role functioning	65.32 (37.12)	0–100	Acceptance	4.57 (1.38)	0–6
Cognitive functioning	68.00 (26.21)	0–100	Religion	3.80 (2.13)	0–6
Social functioning	64.88 (29.34)	0–100	Self-distraction	3.49 (1.58)	0–6
QLQ-C30 = Quality of Life Questionnaire.

TABLE 2 Multiple Regression for Anxiety Scores

Coefficient	Value	Standard Error	p
(Intercept)	14.72	2.29	< .001
Ethnic group	–1.14	.56	.043
Recurrence	1.01	.56	.076
Behavioral disengagement	.45	.24	.073
Venting	.33	.17	.054
Instrumental support	.66	.18	< .001
Self-blame	.75	.17	< .001
Planning	.31	.15	.048
Humor	–.30	.13	.021
Acceptance	–.80	.20	< .001
Cognitive functioning	–.04	.01	< .001
Insomnia	.03	.01	< .001
Social receptivity	–.20	.09	.035

TABLE 3 Multiple Regression for Depression Scores

Coefficient	Value	Standard Error	t	p
(Intercept)	22.39	1.57	14.28	< .001
Behavioral disengagement	.79	.16	4.92	< .001
Venting	.20	.11	1.85	.066
Self-blame	.25	.11	2.19	.030
Humor	–.29	.09	–3.27	.001
Acceptance	–.33	.13	–2.60	.010
Religion	.22	.08	2.61	.010
Physical functioning	–.03	.01	–4.17	< .001
Cognitive functioning	–.02	.01	–3.36	< .001
Social functioning	–.02	.01	–3.01	.003
Appetite loss	.01	.01	2.20	.029
Benefit finding	–.15	.04	–4.18	< .001
Hope	–.15	.04	–3.67	< .001

TABLE 4 Multiple Regression for Emotional Functioning Scores

Coefficient	Value	Standard Error	t	p
(Intercept)	35.28	9.80	3.60	< .001
Ethnic group	8.18	2.64	3.10	.002
Self-distraction	–1.10	.64	–1.71	.090
Behavioral disengagement	–2.74	1.12	–2.45	.015
Venting	–3.21	.81	–3.97	< .001
Self-blame	–3.13	.76	–4.11	< .001
Acceptance	2.28	.99	2.29	.023
Emotional processing	–.92	.45	–2.04	.042
Emotional expression	1.23	.54	2.28	.024
Role functioning	–.08	.03	–2.41	.017
Cognitive functioning	.17	.05	3.38	.001
Social functioning	.12	.05	2.63	.010
Nausea/vomiting	.11	.05	2.09	.038
Insomnia	–.17	.04	–4.61	< .001

TABLE 5 Multiple Regression for Happiness Scores

Coefficient	Value	Standard Error	t	p
(Intercept)	–1.46	1.15	–1.27	.207
Ethnic group	.85	.28	3.00	.003
Active coping	.21	.08	2.47	.014
Behavioral disengagement	–.64	.13	–5.00	< .001
Planning	–.27	.08	–3.44	.001
Humor	.22	.07	3.38	.001
Acceptance	.29	.10	2.96	.003
Cognitive functioning	.02	.01	3.29	.001
Insomnia	–.01	.01	–2.41	.017
Social receptivity	.12	.05	2.70	.008
Hope	.13	.03	4.22	< .001

TABLE 6 Multiple Regression for Positive Affect Scores

Coefficient	Value	Standard Error	t	p
(Intercept)	2.91	1.63	1.78	.076
Age	.02	.01	1.92	.056
Behavioral disengagement	–.66	.12	–5.61	< .001
Self-blame	–.20	.08	–2.45	.016
Humor	.15	.07	2.24	.026
Acceptance	.49	.10	4.81	< .001
Emotional processing	–.14	.05	–2.96	.003
Physical functioning	.02	.01	3.02	.003
Cognitive functioning	.01	.01	2.90	.004
Nausea/vomiting	.01	.01	2.68	.008
Benefit finding	.11	.02	4.72	< .001
Social receptivity	.18	.05	3.72	< .001
Hope	.10	.03	3.23	.001
Chemotherapy	–.38	.22	–1.75	.082

TABLE 7 Summary of Main Results

	Dependent Variables
Predictors	Anxiety	Depression	Emotional Functioning	Happiness	Positive Affect
Emotional Processing			X		X
Emotional Expression			√
Hope		√		√	√
Benefit Finding		√			√
Social Receptivity				√	√
Brief COPE Scales
Self-Distraction
Active Coping				√
Denial
Substance Use
Use of Emotional Support
Behavioral Disengagement		X	X	X	X
Venting			X
Use of Instrumental Support	X
Positive Reframing
Self-Blame	X	X	X		X
Planning	X			X
Humor	√	√		√	√
Acceptance	√	√	√	√	√
Religion		X
Note. √ = associated with improving adjustment; χ = associated with worsening adjustment.