Symptoms, resilience, coping, and psychosocial adjustment in women with gynaecological cancer in South Korea: A cross sectional study

Purpose: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the relationship between symptoms, resilience, coping, and psychosocial adjustment, and to identify the influence of these variables on the psychosocial adjustment in women with gynaecological cancer in South Korea. Methods: A correlational research design was employed based on the stress-coping theory of Lazarus and Folkman. A total of 150 women with gynaecological cancer admitted to a Korean tertiary hospital were included via convenience sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires between January and April 2018. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, independent t-test, chi(2) test, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and hierarchical multiple regression using the SPSS WIN 25.0 program. Results: The study found that symptoms had the strongest association with psychosocial adjustment in women with gynaecological cancer. Psychosocial adjustment showed a statistically significant relationship with symptoms (r = 0.34, p < .001), resilience (r = -.43, p < .001), and coping (r = -.32, p < .001). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that symptoms (beta = 0.33, p < .001), resilience (beta = -.30, p < .001), and coping (beta = -.17, p = .032) accounted for 28.1% of the variance in psychosocial adjustment. Conclusions: It is pertinent for healthcare providers to assess and develop symptom management to provide resilience and coping strategies for gynaecological cancer women and improve their psychosocial adjustment.

Automated summary

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between symptoms, resilience, coping, and psychosocial adjustment in women with gynaecological cancer in South Korea, and to identify the influence of these variables on psychosocial adjustment. The results showed that symptoms had the strongest association with psychosocial adjustment, and resilience and coping also played a role in psychosocial adjustment. Therefore, healthcare providers should assess and develop symptom management, provide resilience and coping strategies for gynaecological cancer women, and improve their psychosocial adjustment.