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Psychosocial variables associated with husbands’ adjustment three months following wives’ diagnosis of breast cancer

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Abstract

Background. Husbands of women with breast cancer may experience adjustment difficulties. We examined psychosocial predictors of husbands’ adjustment to their wives’ breast cancer 3 months following diagnosis.Methods. Women (N=45) with Stage I or II breast cancer who were 3 months postdiagnosis and their husbands completed measures of adjustment, coping, marital adjustment, and quality of life.Results. Multiple regression analyses showed husbands’ avoidant coping and wives’ adjustment accounted for approximately 54% of the variance in husbands’ adjustment.Conclusions. Further research on predictors of husbands’ adjustment following wives’ diagnoses of breast cancer is needed to inform intervention efforts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, 77030, Houston, TX

    William T. Dalton PhD, Jennifer B. Brobst PhD, Julie E. Lindsay PhD & Lois C. Friedman PhD (Associate Professor)

  2. Department of Psychology and Philosophy and Philosophy, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX (DVN)

    David V. Nelson PhD

Authors
  1. William T. Dalton PhD
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  2. David V. Nelson PhD
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  3. Jennifer B. Brobst PhD
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  4. Julie E. Lindsay PhD
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  5. Lois C. Friedman PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lois C. Friedman PhD.

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Dalton, W.T., Nelson, D.V., Brobst, J.B. et al. Psychosocial variables associated with husbands’ adjustment three months following wives’ diagnosis of breast cancer. J Canc Educ 22, 245 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174124

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174124

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