The relationship between psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and posttraumatic growth in cancer patients in the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic may have an important long-term emotional impact on patients with cancer diagnosis, as they are in the high-risk group. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between self-compassion, psychological flexibility, and posttraumatic growth, and to examine whether psychologic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Supportive care in cancer 2023-07, Vol.31 (7), p.428-428, Article 428
Main Authors: Özönder Ünal, Ipek, Ünal, Caglar, Duymaz, Tomris, Ordu, Cetin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Cancer
Cancer patients
Care and treatment
Compassion
COVID-19
Diagnosis
Epidemics
Flexibility
Growth
Humans
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Neoplasms
Nursing
Nursing Research
Oncology
Oncology, Experimental
Pain Medicine
Pandemics
Post-traumatic growth
Posttraumatic Growth, Psychological
Questionnaires
Rehabilitation Medicine
Self compassion
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Summary:Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic may have an important long-term emotional impact on patients with cancer diagnosis, as they are in the high-risk group. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between self-compassion, psychological flexibility, and posttraumatic growth, and to examine whether psychological flexibility may serve as a mediator between self-compassion and posttraumatic growth. Methods Two hundred fifty-three patients with cancer were included in the study. Sociodemographic and Clinical Features Data Form, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) were applied to all patients. Results The multivariate analysis with independent variable SCS, FMI, AAQ-II, and CFQ scores explains 49% of the variance in PTGI ( F (4,248) = 60,585, p < 0.001). SC and FMI scores were found to have a positive and AAQ-II and CFQ scores a negative predictive effect on PTGI scores. The partial mediational effect of psychological flexibility on the relationship between self-compassion and posttraumatic growth was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion In traumatic life events such as pandemics, the importance of self-compassion for posttraumatic growth and the mediator role of psychological flexibility in this relationship should be considered in order to manage the treatment process in cancer patients. These patients are more affected by the pandemic due to the nature of their malignancy and the strict protective measures they must follow as members of a high-risk group. The significance of therapies focused on psychological flexibility should be emphasized in comprehensive biopsychosocial approaches for the management of cancer patients.
ISSN:0941-4355
1433-7339
DOI:10.1007/s00520-023-07891-4