Effects of optimism, interpersonal relationships, and distress on psychosexual well-being among women with early stage breast cancer

Abstract

This study examined associations between optimism, social support, and distress as they relate to psychosexual well-being among 136 women with Stage 0, I, and II breast cancer. Women were assessed immediately post-surgery and 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery. Results support two cross-sectional mediation models. The first model indicates that patients who are more optimistic experience greater psychosexual well-being (i.e., feel more feminine, attractive, and sexually desirable) partly because they perceive themselves as having more social support available. The second model indicates that patients who are more optimistic experience greater psychosexual well-being partly because they experience less emotional distress related to the disease. When the two models were tested simultaneously, distress no longer contributed uniquely to the model at any time point except for 12 months follow-up.

Keywords:

• Breast cancer
• optimism
• social support
• distress
• psychosexual well-being

Notes

Notes

[1]  Analyses of data from this sample (or subsets of this sample) have been reported by Antoni et al. (2001) and Cruess et al. (2000). Neither of those reports addressed any of the relationships under study here, however.

[2]  We also examined changes in sexual functioning per se as a mediator variable, using the same measures Abend and Williamson (2002) used (a subscale of the Psychological Adjustment to Illness Scale). As did Abend and Williamson, we found that this variable did not significantly relate to optimism or psychosexual well-being. For that reason it is not discussed further.