The Comparison of Three Components of Breast Cancer in Females With Cancer and Healthy Ones: Coping Styles, Psychological Capital, and Patience

Introduction: The growing trend of cancer incidence in the past few decades and its effects on physical, psychological, spiritual, and social dimensions both in patients and their families make cancer one of the major health hazards of the century. Of all cancers, breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent among females. Thus, the current study aimed at comparing three components of BC between females with breast cancer and healthy ones: coping styles, psychological capital, and patience. Methods: Totally, 100 females with BC and 100 healthy ones were selected from the available sample based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were compared in accordance with coping styles, psychological capital, and patience by multivariable analysis and independent t-test. Results: The results revealed that there were significant differences between females with BC and healthy ones in emotion-based coping strategy (F (1198) =5.20, P < 0.05), self-efficacy subscale (F (1193) = 5.58, P < 0.01), hopefulness (F (1193) = 4.50, P < 0.05), and patience (t = 1.99, df = 198, P < 0.05). Subjects with BC, compared to the healthy ones, use the emotion-based coping strategy more often and are more patient. Healthy females had a greater share of self-efficacy and hopefulness. Conclusions: An appropriate coping style, taking advantage of patience as a religious coping style, and a high degree of psychological capital can aid patients make better recoveries. These components have major roles in cancer control.

Keywords:

Breast Neoplasms , Coping Behavior , Psychological Capital , Patience , Female