This cross-sectional study identified the nature and strength of the relationship between social and psychological functioning, and explored if these relationships differ as a function of environmental and personal characteristics.
Participants (n=87) consist of breast, prostate, colorectal, lung, and head and neck cancer survivors who were diagnosed within the past five years. Cancer survivors were recruited through a cancer registry and outpatient clinics. Data collection involved questionnaire and medical records review.
In linear regression models for distress, social constraint demonstrated a stronger relationship with general distress (β = .37 vs. β = -.26), anxiety and depression (β = .65 vs. βs = -.21 to .-30) and cancer-specific distress (β =.62 vs. β = -.15) than social support. In the wellbeing models, social support demonstrated a stronger relationship with life satisfaction (β = .56 vs. β = -.15) and global mental health (β = .38 vs. β = -.37) than social constraint; no significant associations were found for cancer-specific wellbeing outcomes. The environmental and personal characteristics significantly moderated the relationship between social and psychological functioning in a few regression models.
Results support the interrelationship between social and psychological functioning in cancer survivors, and sheds light on the complexities of these relationships
