The Relationship between Illness Perception and Difficulty in Emotion Regulation with the Mediating Role of Quality of Marital Life in Women with Breast Cancer

Background: The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between perception of illness and difficulty in emotion regulation with the mediating role of quality of marital life in married women with breast cancer.  Objectives: It is very important to study The Relationship Between Illness Perception and Difficulty in Emotion Regulation with the Mediating Role of Quality of Marital Life in Women With Breast Cancer. Materials and Methods: This correlational study using a structural equation modeling was conducted on 385 married women suffering from breast cancer who referred to the Amol and Babol medical centers in 2018. The samples were selected based on the available sampling method and completed Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ), Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Marital Quality of Life Questionnaire. The proposed model was evaluated by structural equation modeling using LISREL software. The bootstrap method was used to test indirectly.  Results: Based on the results of this study, the proposed model had a good fitness (RMSEA=0.057, GFI=0.92, IFI=0.98, χ2=0.225, and P<0.05). Generally, the results showed that all direct pathways were significant (P<0.05).  Conclusion: The results also showed that indirect pathways of illness perception through marital life quality with difficulty in emotion regulation were significant. The evaluated model had a good fit that is an important step in understanding the factors affecting the difficulty in emotion regulation in married women with breast cancer. Therefore, it can be useful as a model for designing and developing programs for the prevention of emotional problems in women with breast cancer.

Keywords:

Illness Perception , Emotion Regulation , Marital Life Quality , Breast Cancer