Relationship Between Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and Caregiver Burden In Breast Cancer Patients: The Mediating Role of Anxiety and Depression

Wang S 1 , Zhang Q 2 , Goh PH 3 , Hu J 4 , Liu X 1 , Du J 4 Show all authors , Xu W 5

Affiliations 

  • 1 Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
  • 2 University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
  • 3 Department of Psychology, Monash University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
  • 4 School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
  • 5 Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China. [email protected]
J Clin Psychol Med Settings, 2023 Sep;30(3):645-653.
PMID: 36385422 DOI: 10.1007/s10880-022-09927-z

Abstract

Breast cancer impacts not only the physical and mental health of patients but also the people around them-especially their caregivers. This study examined the relationship between post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and caregiver burden in breast cancer patients through the mediating pathway of anxiety and depression.

METHODS: A total of 236 breast cancer patients from China completed the Chinese Version of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale (PSS), the Chinese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Chinese version of the General Anxiety Symptoms Scale (GAD-7). In addition, caregivers of these breast cancer patients were surveyed by the Caregiver Self-Assessment Questionnaire (CSAQ).

RESULTS: Structural equation model showed that our model fitted well [χ2 /df = 1.966, TLI = 0.959, CFI = 0.994, RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.065 (0-0.12)] and revealed that anxiety, but not depression, mediated the relationship between PTSS in breast cancer patients and caregiver burden.

CONCLUSION: The level of PTSS was positively correlated with anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients, and the level of anxiety and depression was positively related to caregiver burden. The PTSS of patients positively predicted caregiver burden and this relationship appears to be mediated by the patient's anxiety.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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