Social interaction and support related to mood and locus of control in cervical and endometrial cancer patients and their spouses

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate possible relationships between quantitative and qualitative social support measures and mood in cervical (n=30) and endometrial (n=30) cancer patients and their spouses before and after treatment. Furthermore, the experience of locus of control was studied in light of mood and social support in women after treatment. The first interview with the patients was conducted on the day before the women started treatment, a second interview, 6 months later and a third one, 12–15 months after the initiation of treatment. The interviews with the spouses were conducted on the telephone before the initiation of their partners' treatment and 12–15 months later. Social support was assessed by the Interview Schedule for Social Interaction (ISSI), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to measure the level of depressive symptomatology, and the locus of control orientation was assessed by the Locus of Control (LOC) scale. Women with cervical cancer reported BDI values that were significantly higher than in the endometrial group both before and after treatment. Women with cervical cancer also showed a significantly higher level on the BDI score on both occasions than did the corresponding group of spouses. The scores for ISSI were within normal limits in both groups of women. Furthermore, LOC was significantly correlated with adequacy of social interaction in women when controlled for social desirability, whereas LOC was unrelated to BDI. No significant correlations were found among the spouses concerning social network variables and dysphoric mood. The necessity of developing models for the psychological and behavioural risk assessment and for the elaboration of adequate treatment strategies is emphasized.