The relationship between psychosocial support service utilization, coping and post-traumatic growth among breast cancer survivors

Background While data demonstrate psychosocial support services as effective mechanisms for improving the psychological well-being of breast cancer survivors (BCS), reviews indicate more research is needed to confirm this finding. The current study examined the relationship between psychosocial support service utilization (PSSU) on adaptive coping (AC) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) among BCS. Methods Seventy-two Non-Hispanic Black and Non-Hispanic White BCS completed a survey assessing socio-demographic/clinical characteristics, PSSU (none, one type, multiple types), AC, and PTG. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the relationship between PSSU and AC/PTG indices. Results Seventy-two percent of all respondents indicated utilizing one or more psychosocial support services. Among all respondents, as PSSU increased, all measures of AC and PTG significantly increased (p < 0.05). Analyses within race/ethnic groups showed similar patterns. Conclusions This study provides evidence of the positive relationship between PSSU and psychological well-being among a diverse group of BCS.