Abstract
This study evaluated one positive and one negative aspect of social functioning (social support and social constraint, respectively) to increase understanding of its relation to psychological functioning (distress and wellbeing) after cancer diagnosis. Participants in this longitudinal study were recently diagnosed, predominately late stage, first primary cancer survivors (n = 48). Data collection involved a 30-day period of daily assessment. Data were analyzed using multilevel linear models. As in prior studies, none of the variables changed significantly over time (ps = .07 to .99). Based on the intraclass correlation coefficient, 51 to 75% of the variance in the daily assessment data are attributable to between-person differences. There was a positive relationship between social constraint and both general and cancer-specific distress (ps < .05) and between social support and cancer-specific wellbeing (ps < .001). In prospective models, higher than average general distress predicted higher social support the next day (p = .004) and higher than average cancer-specific wellbeing predicted more social constraint the next day (p = .01). The findings lend some support to the interdependence of social functioning and psychological functioning after cancer diagnosis.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
In this study, the term “cancer survivor” refers to any individual with a history of cancer diagnosis, regardless of time since diagnosis or treatment phase (Marzorati et al., 2017).
References
Adams, R. N., Winger, J. G., & Mosher, C. E. (2015). A meta-analysis of the relationship between social constraints and distress in cancer patients. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 38, 294–305.
Andrykowski, M. A., Lykins, E., & Floyd, A. (2008). Psychological health in cancer survivors. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 24, 193–201.
Badr, H., & Carmack Taylor, C. L. (2006). Social constraints and spousal communication in lung cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 15, 673–683. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.996
Badr, H., Laurenceau, J. P., Schart, L., Basen-Engquist, K., & Turk, D. (2010). The daily impact of pain from metastatic breast cancer on spousal relationships: A dyadic electronic diary study. Pain, 151, 644–654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2010.08.022
Badr, H., Pasipanodya, E. C., & Laurenceau, J. P. (2013). An electronic diary study of the effects of patient avoidance and partner social constraints on patient momentary affect in metastatic breast cancer. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 45, 192–202.
Belcher, A. J., Laurenceau, J. P., Graber, E. C., Cohen, L. H., Dasch, K. B., & Siegel, S. D. (2011). Daily support in couples coping with early stage breast cancer: Maintaining intimacy during adversity. Health Psychology, 30, 665–673.
Berg, C. A., Wiebe, D. J., Butner, J., Bloor, L., Bradstreet, C., Upchurch, R., & Patton, G. (2008). Collaborative coping and daily mood in couples dealing with prostate cancer. Psychology and Aging, 23, 505–516. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012687
Bjelland, I., Dahl, A. A., Haug, T. T., & Neckelmann, D. (2002). The validity of the hospital anxiety and depression scale: An updated literature review. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 52, 69–77.
Bloom, J. R., Petersen, D. M., & Kang, S. H. (2007). Multi-dimensional quality of life among long-term (5+ years) adult cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology, 16, 691–706.
Bolger, N., & Laurenceau, J. P. (2013). Intensive longitudinal methods: An introduction to diary and experience sampling research. New York: The Guilford Press.
Bosc, M. (2000). Assessment of social functioning in depression. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 41, 63–69.
Breitbart, W., Rosenfeld, B., Pessin, H., Kaim, M., Funesti-Esch, J., Galietta, M., Nelson, C. J., & Brescia, R. (2000). Depression, hopelessness, and desire for hastened death in terminally ill patients with cancer. JAMA, 284, 2907–2911.
Broadhead, W. E., Gehlbach, S. H., de Gruy, F. V., & Kaplan, B. H. (1988). The Duke-UNC functional social support questionnaire: measurement of social support in family medicine patients. Medical Care, 26, 709–723.
Bultz, B. D., Speca, M., Brasher, P. M., Geggie, P. H., & Page, S. A. (2000). A randomized controlled trial of a brief psychoeducational support group for partners of early stage breast cancer patients. Psycho-Oncology, 9, 303–313.
Cann, A., Calhoun, L. G., Tedeschi, R. G., Taku, K., Vishnevsky, T., Triplett, K. N., & Danhauer, S. C. (2010). A short form of the posttraumatic growth inventory. Anxiety, Stress and Coping, 23, 127–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800903094273
Carlson, L. E., Waller, A., Groff, S. L., Giese-Davis, J., & Bultz, B. D. (2013). What goes up does not always come down: Patterns of distress, physical and psychosocial morbidity in people with cancer over a one year period. Psycho-Oncology, 22, 168–176.
Carruthers, C. P., & Hood, C. D. (2004). The power of the positive: Leisure and well-Being. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 38, 225–245.
Cella, D., & Nowinski, C. J. (2002). Measuring quality of life in chronic illness: The functional assessment of chrinoc illness therapy measurement system. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 83, S10–S17.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Questionnaire, 2011. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/questionnaires/pdf-ques/2011brfss.pdf
Chambers, S. K., Zajdlewicz, L., Youlden, D. R., Holland, J. C., & Dunn, J. (2014). The validity of the distress thermometer in prostate cancer populations. Psycho-Oncology, 23, 195–203.
Dagan, M., Sanderman, R., Schokker, M. C., Wiggers, T., Baas, P. C., van Haastert, M., & Hagedoorn, M. (2011). Spousal support and changes in distress over time in couples coping with cancer: The role of personal control. Journal of Family Psychology, 25, 310–318.
Dakof, G. A., & Taylor, S. E. (1990). Victims’ perceptions of social support: What is helpful from whom? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58, 80–89.
Danhauer, S. C., Russell, G. B., Tedeschi, R. G., Jesse, M. T., Vishnevsky, T., Daley, K., & Powell, B. L. (2013). A longitudinal investigation of posttraumatic growth in adult patients undergoing treatment for acute leukemia. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 20, 13–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-012-9304-5
De Leeuw, J. R., De Graeff, A., Ros, W. J., Hordijk, G. J., Blijham, G. H., & Winnubst, J. A. (2000). Negative and positive influences of social support on depression in patients with head and neck cancer: A prospective study. Psycho-Oncology, 9, 20–28.
Dunn, J., Occhipinti, S., Campbell, A., Ferguson, M., & Chambers, S. K. (2011). Benefit finding after cancer: The role of optimism, intrusive thinking and social environment. Journal of Health Psychology, 16, 169–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105310371555
Fagundes, C. P., Berg, C. A., & Wiebe, D. J. (2012). Intrusion, avoidance, and daily negative affect among couples coping with prostate cancer: A dyadic investigation. Journal of Family Psychology, 26, 246–253. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027332
Ferrandina, G., Mantegna, G., Petrillo, M., Fuoco, G., Venditti, L., Terzano, S., Moruzzi, C., Lorusso, D., Marcellusi, A. & Scambia, G. (2012). Quality of life and emotional distress in early stage and locally advanced cervical cancer patients: A prospective, longitudinal study. Gynecologic Oncology, 124, 389–394.
Ferrell, B. R., & Dow, K. H. (1997). Quality of life among long-term cancer survivors. Oncology, 11, 565–568.
Ferrell, B. R., Dow, K. H., & Grant, M. (1995). Measurement of the quality of life in cancer survivors. Quality of Life Research, 4, 523–531.
Ferrell, B. R., Grant, M., Funk, B., Otis-Green, S., & Garcia, N. (1998). Quality of life in breast cancer: Part II psychological and spiritual well-being. Cancer nursing, 21, 1–9.
Gorman, L. M. (2018). The psychosocial impact of cancer on the individual, family, and society. In N. J. Bush & L. M. Gorman (Eds.), Psychosocial nursing care along the cancer continuum (3rd ed., pp. 3–23). Oncology Nursing Society.
Huppert, F. A. (2009). Psychological well-being: Evidence regarding its causes and consequences. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 1, 137–164.
IBM Corp. (2017). IBM SPSS Statistics for Macintosh, Version 24.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.
Ingersoll-Dayton, B., Morgan, D., & Antonucci, T. (1997). The effects of positive and negative social exchanges on aging adults. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 52B, S190–S199.
Jacobsen, P. B., Donovan, K. A., Trask, P. C., Fleishman, S. B., Zabora, J., Baker, F., & Holland, J. C. (2005). Screening for psychologic distress in ambulatory cancer patients: A multicenter evaluation of the distress thermometer. Cancer, 103, 1494–1502.
Kangas, M., Tate, R. L., Williams, J. R., & Smee, R. I. (2012). The effects of radiotherapy on psychosocial and cognitive functioning in adults with a primary brain tumor: A prospective evaluation. Neuro-Oncology, 14, 1485–1502.
Kroemeke, A., Knoll, N., & Sobczyk-Kruszelnicka, M. (2019). Dyadic support and affect in patient–caregiver dyads following hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation: A diary study. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 87, 541–550.
Lepore, S. J. (2001). A social-cognitive processing model of emotional adjustment to cancer. In A. Baum & B. L. Anderson (Eds.), Psychosocial interventions for cancer (pp. 99–116). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Lepore, S. J., & Ithuarte, P. H. (1999). Optimism about cancer enhances mood by reducing negative social relations. Cancer Research Therapy and Control, 8, 165–174.
Lepore, S. J., & Reverson, T. A. (2007). Social constraints on disclosure and adjustment to cancer. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 1, 313–333.
Luszczynska, A., Pawlowska, I., Cieslak, R., Knoll, N., & Scholz, U. (2013). Social support and quality of life among lung cancer patients: A systematic review. Psycho-Oncology, 22, 2160–2168.
Manne, S. L. (1999). Intrusive thoughts and psychological distress among cancer patients: The role of spouse avoidance and criticism. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 539–546. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.67.4.539
Mantegna, G., Petrillo, M., Fuoco, G., Venditti, L., Terzano, S., Anchora, L. P., & Ferrandina, G. (2013). Long-term prospective longitudinal evaluation of emotional distress and quality of life in cervical cancer patients who remained disease-free 2-years from diagnosis. BMC Cancer, 13, 127. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-13-127
Marzorati, C., Riva, S., & Pravettoni, G. (2017). Who is a cancer survivor? A systematic review of published definitions. Journal of Cancer Education, 32, 228–237. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-016-0997-2
McDonough, M. H., Sabiston, C. M., & Wrosch, C. (2014). Predicting changes in posttraumatic growth and subjective well-being among breast cancer survivors: The role of social support and stress. Psycho-Oncology, 23, 114–120. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3380
Mosher, C. E., Lepore, S. J., Wu, L., Austin, J., Valdimarsdottir, H., Rowley, S., & Rini, C. (2012). Social correlates of distress following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Exploring the role of loneliness and cognitive processing. Journal of Health Psychology, 17, 1022–1032. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105311432490
Nenova, M., Duhamel, K., Zemon, V., Rini, C., & WH, R., Nenova, M., Redd, W. H. . (2013). Posttraumatic growth, social support, and social constraint in hematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors. Psycho-Oncology, 22, 195–202. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.2073
Pandey, M., Devi, N., Thomas, B. C., Kumar, V., & Ramdas, K. (2007). Distress overlaps with anxiety and depression in patients with head and neck cance. Psycho-Oncology, 16, 582–586. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon
Pasipanodya, E. C., Parrish, B. P., Laurenceau, J.-P., Cohen, L. H., Siegel, S. D., Graber, E. C., & Belcher, A. J. (2012). Social constraints on disclosure predict daily well-being in couples coping with early-stage breast cancer. Journal of Family Psychology, 26, 661–667.
Patel, D., Sharpe, L., Thewes, B., Bell, M. L., & Clarke, S. (2011). Using the distress thermometer and hospital anxiety and depression scale to screen for psychosocial morbidity in patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Journal of Affective Disorders, 131, 412–416.
Reynolds, J. S., & Rerrin, N. A. (2004). Mismatches in social support and psychosocial adjustment to breast cancer. Health Psychology, 23, 425–430.
Rivera Rivera, J. N., & Burris, J. L. (2020). A systematic literature review and head-to-head comparison of social support and social constraint in relation to the psychological functioning of cancer survivors. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 54, 176–192.
Salonen, P., Tarkka, M. T., Kellokumpu-Lehtinen, P. L., Koivisto, A.-M., Aalto, P., & Kaunonen, M. (2012). Effect of social support on changes in quality of life in early breast cancer patients: A longitudinal study. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 27, 396–405.
Schmidt, J. E., & Andrykowski, M. A. (2004). The role of social and dispositional variables associated with emotional processing in adjustment to breast cancer: An internet-based study. Health Psychology, 23, 259–266. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.23.3.259
Schroevers, M. J., Helgeson, V. S., Sanderman, R., & Ranchor, A. V. (2010). Type of social support matters for prediction of posttraumatic growth among cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology, 19, 46–53.
Scrignaro, M., Barni, S., & Magrin, M. E. (2011). The combined contribution of social support and coping strategies in predicting post-traumatic growth: A longitudinal study on cancer patients. Psycho-Oncology, 20, 823–831. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1782
Sherliker, L., & Steptoe, A. (2000). Coping with new treatments for cancer: A feasibility study of daily diary measures. Patient Education and Counseling, 40, 11–19.
Shim, E. J., Mehnert, A., Koyama, A., Cho, S. J., Inui, H., Paik, N. S., & Koch, U. (2006). Health-related quality of life in breast cancer: A cross-cultural survey of German, Japanese, and South Korean patients. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 99, 341–350.
Smith, S. G., Turner, B., Pati, J., Petrides, K. V., Sevdalis, N., & Green, J. S. A. (2012). Psychological impairment in patients urgently referred for prostate and bladder cancer investigations: The role of trait emotional intelligence and perceived social support. Supportive Care in Cancer, 20, 699–704. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1129-5
Soriano, E. C., Pasipanodya, E. C., LoSavio, S. T., Otto, A. K., Perndorfer, C., Siegel, S. D., & Laurenceau, J. P. (2018). Social constraints and fear of recurrence in couples coping with early stage breast cancer. Health Psychology, 37, 874–884.
Stafford, L., Judd, F., Gibson, P., Komiti, A., Quinn, M., & Mann, G. B. (2014). Comparison of the hospital anxiety and depression scale and the center for epidemiological studies depression scale for detecting depression in women with breast or gynecologic cancer. General Hospital Psychiatry, 36, 74–80.
Swartzman, S., Sani, F., & Munro, A. J. (2017). The role of social support, family identification, and family constraints in predicting posttraumatic stress after cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 26, 1330–1335. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4304
Weiss, D. S., & Marmar, C. R. (1997). The impact of event scale—Revised. In J. P. Wilson & T. M. Keane (Eds.), Assessing psychological trauma and PTSD (pp. 399–411). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.
Wilson, B., Morris, B. A., & Chambers, S. (2014). A structural equation model of posttraumatic growth after prostate cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 23, 1212–1219.
Woźniak, K., & Izycki, D. (2014). Cancer: A family at risk. Przeglad Menopauzalny, 13, 253–261. https://doi.org/10.5114/pm.2014.45002
Zakowski, S. G., Ramati, A., Morton, C., Johnson, P., & Flanigan, R. (2004). Written emotional disclosure buffers the effects of social constraints on distress among cancer patients. Health Psychology, 23, 555–563. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.23.6.555
Zhou, E. S., Penedo, F. J., Bustillo, N. E., Benedict, C., Rasheed, M., Lechner, S., Soloway, M., Kava, B. R., Schneiderman, N. & Antoni, M. H. (2010). Longitudinal effects of social support and adaptive coping on the emotional well-being of survivors of localized prostate cancer. The Journal of Supportive Oncology, 8, 196–201.
Zigmond, A. S., & Snaith, R. P. (1983). The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 67, 361–370.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of Caitlin Dunworth, MPH and Joan Kahl, MS who helped with study coordination as well as Joseph Valentino, MD and Rachel Miller, MD who served as clinic champions. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers K07 CA181351 and the Shared Research Facilities of P30 CA177558, and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number UL1 TR001998. The content of this publication is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
JRR and JLB contributed to study conception and design, material preparation, and data collection. JRR and CLB conducted data analysis. All authors contributed to manuscript writing, and read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent
This study did not involve any animal subjects. All procedures involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the insitution where the research was conducted and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments. This study was approved by the University of Kentucky Institutional Review Board and written informed consent was obtained for every participant in this study.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rivera-Rivera, J.N., Badour, C.L. & Burris, J.L. The association between psychological functioning and social support and social constraint after cancer diagnosis: a 30-day daily diary study. J Behav Med 44, 355–367 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-021-00200-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-021-00200-6