The Experience of Distress and Coping Among Young Adults with Cancer and Their Caregivers

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients diagnosed with cancer, and their caregivers, experience a wide range of biopsychosocial stressors. The systemic transactional model Bodenmann in Swiss J Psychol 54: 34–49, 1995 posits that distress and coping are interrelated when close relationships are faced with a shared stressor. This study’s purpose was to understand the interrelated nature of distress and coping among AYA cancer patients and their caregivers. The research questions were: (a) What are the within sample and dyadic outcomes associated with distress and coping strategies among matched AYA oncology patients and caregivers? and (b) To what extent will patient and caregiver engagement predict patient and caregiver distress, as well as the patient problem list? A descriptive, cross-sectional design was utilized to collect data from 19 matched patient-caregiver dyads. Outcome variables included: (a) distress, (b) patient perceived problems, and (c) perceived stress. Predictor variables included: (a) coping styles, (b) relational assessment, and (c) caregiver burden. Actor-partner interdependence modeling revealed: (a) patients’ and caregivers’ use of engagement style coping strategies has a positive impact on patients’ distress, while caregivers’ use of engagement style coping strategies also has benefits for their own distress, (b) caregivers’ use of engagement style coping strategies may help reduce patients’ endorsement of biopsychosocial or practical problems, and (c) greater use of disengagement style coping strategies may decrease caregivers’ endorsement of issues included on the patient’s problem list. Future researchers are recommended to further investigate cancer as a relational illness. Clinicians and health policy makers are encouraged to develop policies and protocols toward treating the relational unit as the standard of care rather than as the exception.