Communication Competence, Psychological Well-Being, and the Mediating Role of Coping Efforts Among Women With Breast Cancer: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Evidence

Abstract

Despite existing research identifying psychological benefits of patients’ interpersonal competence in various contexts, little longitudinal research has addressed underlying mechanism(s). To address this limitation, we examined both the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between cancer patients’ communication competence in close relationships and psychological well-being, as well as the mediating role of coping efforts. Data came from a larger project with women with breast cancer (N = 661), recruited from April 2005 to May 2007 at three large university-affiliated cancer centers in the U.S. to study the effects of an Internet-based system providing patients and families with a range of services. The present study focused on survey data at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after the intervention (controlling for the possible effects of the intervention). Results from both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses indicated that competence in open communication between patients and their close support persons had a positive association with patients’ psychological well-being and that approach coping efforts partially mediated this association. We discussed the implications and limitations of the study.

KEYWORDS:

• approach coping
• breast cancer
• communication competence
• psychological well-being

Notes

1. Using a relative score of approach coping (Holahan et al. 1997) had several advantages. First, relative scores took into account individual differences in the total amount of coping efforts as a base rate of each individual (Vitaliano et al. 1987). Second, it made our mediation analysis more straightforward and less data-driven to use one relative score of coping efforts than several mediating variables, especially considering that we repeated analyses using three waves of data. Also, empirical evidence suggested predictive advantages of relative over absolute coping scores (Vitaliano et al. 1987).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the U.S. National Cancer Institute, grant no. P50 CA095817-05, and also by Inha University, grant no. INHA-47285.