The Relationship between Self-Efficacy, Optimism and Hope with Anxiety and Depression in Breast Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Resilience

Some breast cancer sufferers experience the recovery period due to the impact of covid-19, which is psychologically affected, staying at home and the recovery process increases the feeling of loneliness and psychological stress in them. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy, optimism and hope with anxiety and depression in women with breast cancer with the role of mediator of resilience during the covid-19 pandemic.

The present study is descriptive of the correlation type. The statistical population of this research included all women with breast cancer in Gorgan city, 135 women with breast cancer, according to the inclusion criteria (including pathological diagnosis of breast cancer by a specialist, age over 18 years, reading and writing literacy and no medical diagnosis Acute or chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and kidney problems) were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected using Demographic Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Vision About Future Scale and Sherer General Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. The data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software with Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis method.

The findings showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between self-efficacy, optimism and hope with resilience and a negative and significant relationship with anxiety and depression of women with breast cancer (P<0.01). Also, there is a negative and significant relationship between resilience and anxiety and depression (P<0.01). The results of the model analysis also showed that resilience plays a mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy, optimism and hope with anxiety and depression and has a favorable fit.

The result is that resilience along with self-efficacy, optimism and hope as a positive psychological factor can play a role in reducing the psychological distress of patients during the covid-19 pandemic. For these women, our findings suggest the implementation of psychological interventions that build resilience.