Resilience in Recovery: The Interplay of Coping Strategies and Psychological Factors Among Breast Cancer Survivors.

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) survivorship is associated with significant psychological challenges, including anxiety, stress, and depression. Coping strategies (C-Strats) play a crucial role in influencing psychological well-being (Psych-WB) among survivors, but few studies have explored interconnected factors among BC surviving women in Bahrain, a disadvantaged population. This study thus examines the links between psychological coping and well-being solutions as deployed among women after BC in the Kingdom of Bahrain and to explore variations according to selected demographic characteristics.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed. A total of 104 BC survivors attending oncology clinics in governmental hospitals were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Scale, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including t-tests, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation, were performed using SPSS version 28.

RESULTS

Participants demonstrated moderate use of C-Strats, with higher reliance on problem-focused and "emotion-focused coping," particularly religious coping, and lower use of "avoidant coping." Psych-WB scores indicated moderate levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. C-Strats did not differ significantly across demographic variables (P > 0.05). However, psychological distress was significantly associated with age (P = 0.035), with younger survivors reporting higher distress levels. A statistically significant moderate negative correlation was found between C-Strats and Psych-WB (r = -0.501, P < 0.001), indicating that higher coping ability was associated with lower psychological distress.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlight the protective role of C-Strats in reducing psychological distress among BC survivors. Interventions aimed at enhancing adaptive coping, particularly among younger survivors, are recommended to improve Psych-WB.