Predicting model of quality of life in breast cancer: spiritual well-being, body image and coping

Abstract

Background: Stress and physical consequences of breast cancer (like mastectomy) can reduce patients’ body image and quality of life. This study aimed to develop a SEM model for predicting the patients’ quality of life based on body image regarding mediating role of coping and spiritual Well-being. Methods: A total of 126 breast cancer patients were recruited by convenience sampling method who attained to Breast Cancer Research Center, Tehran, Iran. Data were collected by Socio-demographic questionnaire, FACT-B, Body Image (BIS), FACIT-Sp, and Coping style questionnaire (Brief COPE). Analysis were conducted using Pearson’s correlation, multilinear regression and Structural Equation Modeling. Findings: Results showed that the provisional model was fitted with some alterations by deleting emotion-focused coping. Final Modeling suggested that, mediated by spiritual Well-being (t=0.481), problem-focused coping had only an indirect and positive influence on quality of life (T=0.231). The influence of body image on quality of life was both direct (t=0.223) and indirect (t=0.132), mediated by problem-focused strategy and spiritual Well-being. Finally, body image, spiritual Well-being and problem-focused coping could explain 33.9% of quality of life’s variance. Discussion: The study suggested that interventions to enhance the problem-focused coping strategies and spiritual Well-being based on our psychosocial model may be helpful to improve patients’ quality of life. As well, the effect of body image on quality of life could be decreased by improvement in problem-focused coping strategies and spiritual well-being.