Cancer and psychological distress: Two investigations regarding the role of social problem-solving

Social problem-solving ability has previously been found to be an important coping mechanism in predicting distress reactions to stressful events in t he general population. This article describes two studies that empirically evaluated the applicability of these findings to the psychooncology literat ure by assessing the relationship between distress and problem-solving in t wo different groups of cancer patients. In Study 1, 105 patients with recen tly diagnosed cancer completed inventories addressing social problem-solvin g, symptoms of distress, and cancer-specific problems. The results indicate d that the patients who were less effective problem-solvers also reported h igher levels of anxiety and depression as well as more cancer-related probl ems. Study 2 involved 64 women who had undergone surgery for breast cancer between 1 and 13.3 years earlier. A self-report of negative life events ser ved to control for the effects of recent stressors. The results of this stu dy indicated that less problem-solving ability was a significant predictor of psychological distress, whereas time since surgery was not associated wi th cancer-related distress. Together, the two studies provide strong initia l support for the existence of an important relationship between social pro blem-solving and cancer-related distress.