The Influence of Psychological Characteristics on Quality of Life of Women Patients with Breast Cancer (A Comparison of Regression Models at the Remission Stage and In the Fourth Stage)

Introduction. Worldwide, the evaluation of breast cancer treatment effectiveness consists of survival rates and life quality analysis. The aim of the study is to identify psychological features that affect the psychological component of quality of life in women with breast cancer. Materials and methods. 127 women with breast cancer participated in the study. The participants were divided in two groups, A and B. Group A (N=31) included women with breast cancer (stage IV) receiving antitumor or symptomatic treatment, group B (N=96) consisted of women with breast cancer on stages I-III who received antitumor treatment and who are in a relapse-free period of 6 months or more. The methods used were: the scale of basic beliefs (adaptation by M. A. Padun, A. V. Kotelnikova); the test of life orientations (adaptation by D. A. Tsiring, K. Yu. Evnina); the test of resilience (adaptation by D. Leontiev); the questionnaire of subjective control (adaptation by E. F. Bazhin, S. A. Golynkin, A. M. Etkind); the questionnaire of personal helplessness (D. A. Tsiring, A. V. Stepanenko); the questionnaire "Subjective age of a person" (adaptation by E. A. Sergienko); the questionnaire of coping methods by R. Lazarus, S. Folkman, adapted by T. L. Kryukova, E. V. Kuftyak, M. S. Zamyshlyaeva. The SF-36 questionnaire was used to assess the psychological component of the quality of life. Results. The authors found out that resilience is an adaptive resource for women with breast cancer. In group B, basic beliefs about the justice of the surrounding world, personal helplessness, internality of health most of all influence on the psychological component of the life quality, together with resilience. In group A, the distancing strategy makes a significant contribution to the formation of the psychological component of the life quality in combination with resilience. Conclusion. The quality of life of women with breast cancer is determined by peculiar psychological characteristics that most affect the psychological component of the life quality, depending on the stage of the disease. The psychological features identified in women with breast cancer at different stages associated with the psychological component of the life quality indicate the importance of studying the psychological factors of the quality of life and taking into account the knowledge gained in the development of psychological rehabilitation programs.