Investigating the Relationship Between Psychological Capital and Fear of Recurrence and Sexual Function in Women with Breast Cancer

 In recent years, the role of psychological factors in physical diseases such as cancer has become more and more apparent and clarification of this role has been emphasized from various angles. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychological capital with recurrence and sexual function in women with breast cancer.

 The design of the present study was descriptive-correlational implemented in 2021. The statistical population of the present study was all women with breast cancer in Iran who received a definitive diagnosis of cancer in 2015. Of those, 300 patients with this disease came to Tehran for treatment through sampling in the form of a plan Research entered. The tools used in this study included the Luthans Psychological Capital Questionnaire, Rosen's Sexual Function, and Simard's Fear of Recurrence. After collecting the questionnaire and extracting the primary data, the relationship between psychological components with fear of recurrence and sexual performance was analyzed.

 The majority of participants were bachelors (75 percent) and housekeeper ladies. The correlation between all the psychological capitals (hope, tolerance, self-efficacy, optimism) with sexual performance was positive and significant. There is a significant relationship between psychological capital and fear of recurrence. In addition, there is a relationship between psychological capital and the sexual function of women. Also, from the components of psychological capital, optimism can predict the fear of recurrence in the negative direction (R2 = 0.22) and sexual function in the positive direction (R2 = 0.06).

 Optimism as one of the psychological capitals can predict the fear of recurrence and sexual performance. Also, optimism can affect various dimensions of physical diseases such as cancer. Therefore, developing interventions to improve hope, optimism, resilience, and self-efficacy can help enhance sexual performance and fear of relapse in these patients.