Self-Esteem as a Predictor of Mental Adjustment in Patients with Breast Cancer

Pei-Ling Tsai, Ting-Ting Kuo, Chih-Hung Ku, Guo-Shiou Liao, Chi-Kang Lin and Hsueh-Hsing Pan
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Pei-Ling Tsai: Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan
Ting-Ting Kuo: Emergency Room, Department of Nursing, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei City 112401, Taiwan
Chih-Hung Ku: School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan
Guo-Shiou Liao: General Surgery, Division of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan
Chi-Kang Lin: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan
Hsueh-Hsing Pan: Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 23, 1-11

Abstract: This study aimed to explore the relationship between self-esteem and mental adjustment and examine the directional effects in patients with breast cancer using path modeling. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study. A total of 128 patients with breast cancer were selected through convenience sampling at a medical center in northern Taiwan. They completed a basic characteristics questionnaire, the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale short form, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale. Descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and path analysis were used to analyze the data. The results showed that higher self-esteem was associated with better mental adjustment (β = 0.9, 95% confidence interval 0.6~1.3, p < 0.001). Age, religious beliefs, employment, cancer stage, and symptom distress were correlated with mental adjustment. Path modeling demonstrated that self-esteem, cancer stage, performance status, and symptom distress directly affected mental adjustment in patients with breast cancer. These findings suggest that health professionals should evaluate self-esteem, performance status, and symptom distress in patients with breast cancer immediately upon admission. This can facilitate early implementation of relevant nursing interventions and, consequently, improve self-esteem and symptom distress and increase mental adjustment in these patients.

Keywords: breast cancer; self-esteem; self-respect; self-regard; mental adjustment; psychological adjustment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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