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Psychological states and coping strategies after bereavement among spouses of cancer patients: a quantitative study in Japan

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Abstract

Purpose

The purposes of this study were (1) to characterize psychological states and coping strategies after bereavement among spouses of cancer patients in Japan and (2) to explore the factors associated with psychological states in oncology settings.

Methods

In March 2009, questionnaires to assess spouses’ psychological states, coping strategies, and mental health states (GHQ-28) were sent after patients died at the National Cancer Center of Japan. To address the first purpose, exploratory factor analysis, gender comparison, and calculation of correlation with age, time since bereavement, and mental health states were conducted. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to address the second purpose.

Results

A total of 821 spouses experiencing bereavement for 7 months to 7 years participated in the study. Psychological states revealed three factor structures: “Anxiety/Depression/Anger”, “Yearning”, and “Acceptance/Future-Oriented Feelings”. Coping strategies also revealed three factor structures: “Distraction”, “Continuing Bonds”, and “Social Sharing/Reconstruction”. Coping strategies represented 18 % to 34 % of each factor associated with psychological states, whereas the characteristics of bereaved spouses and deceased patients represented 6 % and less than 6 %, respectively. More “Distraction and Social Sharing/Reconstruction” and less “Continuing Bonds” were significantly associated coping strategies for achieving “Acceptance/Future-Oriented Feelings” (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Both psychological states and coping strategies after bereavement revealed three factor structures. Coping strategies was the primary, bereaved spouses’ characteristics was the secondary, and deceased patients’ characteristics was the tertiary factor associated with psychological states. Enhancing “Distraction” and “Social Sharing/Reconstruction”, and reducing “Continuing Bonds” might be promising strategies for achieving positive psychological states of the bereaved.

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Acknowledgments

We are deeply grateful to all the bereaved who participated in our survey. We thank Yutaka Nishiwaki for his cooperation with this study, Hiroshi Igaki for his comments on the legal aspects of conducting this study, and Chie Onoue, Masako Ikeda, and Yoshiko Tomita for their research assistance. This research was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Cancer Research and the Third-Term Comprehensive 10-Year Strategy for Cancer Control from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no financial relationship with the organization that sponsored the research (disclosures—none). The authors have full control of all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review their data if requested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psycho-Oncology Division, Research Center for Innovative Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan

    Mariko Asai, Maiko Fujimori & Yosuke Uchitomi

  2. Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Mariko Asai & Yutaka Matsui

  3. Psycho-Oncology Division, Chiba Cancer Center, Chiba, Japan

    Nobuya Akizuki

  4. National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan

    Kuniaki Itoh, Masafumi Ikeda, Ryuichi Hayashi, Taira Kinoshita, Atsushi Ohtsu, Kanji Nagai & Hiroya Kinoshita

  5. Graduate School of Clinical Psychology, Teikyo Heisei University, 2-51-4 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, 170-8445, Japan

    Mariko Asai

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  1. Mariko Asai
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Correspondence to Mariko Asai.

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Asai, M., Akizuki, N., Fujimori, M. et al. Psychological states and coping strategies after bereavement among spouses of cancer patients: a quantitative study in Japan. Support Care Cancer 20, 3189–3203 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-012-1456-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-012-1456-1

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