Personal resources and flexibility in coping with stress depending on perceived stress in a group of cancer patients

BACKGROUND Cancer is a highly stressful life event. It requires the employment of new coping skills and strategies. Flexibility in coping with stress plays an important role in this case. The aim of the study was to assess the role of personal resources in shaping the flexibility in coping with stress among cancer patients depending on the level of perceived stress. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE One hundred eight patients suffering from cancer were surveyed. The following methods were employed: the Resiliency Measurement Scale by Oginska-Bulik and Juczynski, the Adult Hope Scale by Snyder, the Spirituality Index of Well-Being by Daaleman and Frey, the Flexibility in Coping with Stress Questionnaire by Basiriska and team and the Global Measure of Perceived Stress by Cohen, Kamarck and Mermelstein. RESULTS The results demonstrated a positive correlation between all considered personal resources and flexibility in coping. Both resiliency and spiritual well-being enable one to predict 23% of variability of flexibility in coping. Cluster analysis revealed that the group of patients with a generally higher level of personal resources was characterised by greater flexibility in all its dimensions. However, stress levels did not modify the relationships between personal resources and flexibility in coping. CONCLUSIONS The results encourage the planning of psychological interventions aimed at the development of personal resources among cancer patients, and warrant further research.