The Relationship Among Rumination, Coping Strategies, and Subjective Well-being in Chinese Patients With Breast Cancer: A Cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between rumination, coping strategies, and subjective well-being (SWB) and test the mediating effects of coping strategies on rumination and SWB in patients with breast cancer (BC).

METHODS

This cross-sectional study assessed rumination, coping strategies, and SWB using the General Well-being Schedule, the Chinese Event-Related Rumination Inventory, and the Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire in BC patients admitted to a tertiary general hospital in China.

RESULTS

SWB was positively associated with the total score for rumination (r = .32, p < .01), deliberate rumination (r = .75, p < .01), and confrontation (r = .58, p < .01). The relationship between rumination and SWB was mediated by confrontation (indirect effect = .74).

CONCLUSION

BC diagnosis can affect patient's SWB. These findings indicate that rumination and confrontation have direct and indirect effects on SWB. Therefore, psychological interventions focused on improving coping may increase SWB. Notwithstanding, larger longitudinal studies are needed to further examine the relationship between cognitive processes, coping strategies, and SWB.