Frontiers in Psychiatry (Sep 2022)

The relationship between fear of recurrence and depression in patients with cancer: The role of invasive rumination and catastrophizing

  • Lijuan Quan,
  • Xinxin Wang,
  • Xinxin Wang,
  • Wei Lu,
  • Xintong Zhao,
  • Jialei Sun,
  • Qingsong Sang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.920315
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between fear of recurrence and depression in patients with cancer.Materials and methodsTwo hundred and fifty-nine participants completed self-report questionnaires, including the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form, Rumination Inventory, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Chinese version), and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.ResultsFear of recurrence in patients with cancer was moderate, and the level of depression was significantly higher than that in the normal population. Fear of recurrence, invasive rumination, catastrophizing, and depression in patients with cancer were significantly positively correlated. The level of fear of recurrence was a significant positive predictor of the level of depression. Invasive rumination played a partial mediating role between fear of recurrence and depression; that is, fear of recurrence directly affected depression, and fear of recurrence indirectly affected depression through invasive rumination. Catastrophizing played a moderating role in the mediation model, in which fear of recurrence affected depression through invasive rumination.ConclusionInvasive rumination plays a mediating role between fear of recurrence and depression in patients with cancer. Catastrophizing moderates the relationship between fear of recurrence and depression as well as the relationship between invasive rumination and depression.

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