Taḥqīqāt-i ̒Ulūm-i Raftārī (Oct 2017)
The Role of Emotional Schemas in Predicting Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Cancer
Abstract
Aim and Background: Depression and anxiety have a significant impact on performance, quality of life, hospitalization duration and treatment result in patients with cancer. The current study aimed to investigate the role of emotional schemas in predicting anxiety and depression in patients with cancer. Methods and Materials: Using convenience sampling, 250 cancer patients admitted to the oncology ward of Rasool Akram Hospital of Tehran, Iran, were selected in the form of a descriptive-analytical design. Data were obtained by emotional schemas scale (ESS), Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) and Beck depression inventory (BDI) questionnaires. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and Stepwise regression analysis. Findings: There was a significant association between all subscales of emotional schemas with depression and anxiety (P < 0.05). Among all emotional schemas, being out of control, strong values, guilt, self-awareness and reasonable effort schemas had the ability to predict depression among patients with cancer. Overall, 38% of the variance and variability of depression were explained by variables of emotional schemas. Also, emotional schemas such as being out of control, scolding, reasonable effort and guilt had a role in predicting anxiety in patients with cancer. In total, 24% of the variance and variability of anxiety was explained by variables of emotional schemas. Conclusions: The emotional schemas play an important role in the prediction of depression and anxiety level in patients with cancer. Therefore, psychological interventions in this field can lead to a reduction in depression and anxiety in these patients through identifying and modifying negative emotional schemas.
