Perceived Social Support and its Relation with Mental Adjustment among Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Elsherif, Zebeda Abd Elgawad; Behilak, Sahar Elsayed Gaber

doi:10.21608/tsnj.2023.291077

Perceived Social Support and its Relation with Mental Adjustment among Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Assistant professor of Psychiatric &Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University

² Assistant professor of Psychiatric &Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University

10.21608/tsnj.2023.291077

Abstract

Women with breast cancer experienced many problems in various aspects of their lives, that
they use active approaches which can result in improving their psychosocial adaptation to the
disease. Social support buffers the harmful impacts of cancer. Aim of the study: was to evaluate
perceived social support and its relation with mental adjustment among women diagnosed with
breast cancer Subject: 85 women with breast cancer as a convenient sample from both inpatient
and outpatient services of oncology Department of Tanta University Hospital was included.
Study design: a descriptive correlation research design was utilized. Tools of the Study: Tool 1:
Perceived Social support scale, include 2 parts: Part one: Socio-demographic Characteristics
and Clinical Information. Part two: Perceived Social support scale. Tool 2: Mental Adjustment
to Cancer Scale. Results: majority 74.1% women had moderate social support while one third
25.9% of them had high social support. The majority 78.8% of women had adapted in fighting
spirit subscale of positive adaptation. But two thirds 68.2% of them had not adapted in anxious
preoccupation, hopelessness /helplessness, and avoidance subscales of negative adaptation
subscales while 31.8% of them had adapted. Conclusion: perceived social support dimensions
were not statistically significant correlated with mental adjustment to cancer dimensions. Also
perceived social support dimensions with positive & negative mental adjustment to cancer
dimensions. While breast cancer severity & degree was statistically significant related with
positive mental adjustment dimensions. Recommendations: women showing negative
psychological responses to cancer need to psychiatric intervention during cancer treatment.

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