Comparison of burden of care, resilience and coping strategies in male and female cancer caregivers

Subject Areas : Psychology

Mohsen Khaksar ¹ , Rita Liyaghat ²

1 - M.A of Clinical Psychology, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Email: [e-mail]
2 - Assistant professor, Department of Psychology, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Received: 2025-01-21 Accepted : 2025-06-01 Published : 2025-07-23

Keywords: Caregiving burden, resilience, coping strategies, female caregivers, male caregivers, people with cancer.,

Abstract :

A cancer diagnosis, in addition to changing the patient's life, affects the economic, social, physical, and psychological dimensions of people who care for a person with cancer. The aim of the present study was to compare the burden of caregiving, resilience, and coping strategies in male and female caregivers of people with cancer. The research method was a descriptive post-event (causal-comparative) research. The statistical population of the present study included all male and female caregivers of people with cancer in Farhikhtegan Hospital, Tehran, in 2024. The sample size was 30 female caregivers and 30 male caregivers, for a total of 60, who were selected through purposive sampling and responded to the Novak and Guest (1989) Caregiver Burden Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson (2003) Resilience Questionnaire, and Billings and Moss (1984) Coping Strategies Questionnaire. SPSS version 25 and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test were used to analyze the data. The Kolomogrov-Smirnov (K-S) test was used to show the normality and non-normality of the distributions (variables). According to the results, it is observed that there is a significant difference in the F value observed between the two groups of female and male caregivers of people with cancer in the variables of coping strategies and resilience, caregiving burden. Therefore, the research hypothesis that there is a difference between caregiving burden, resilience, and coping strategies in female and male caregivers of people with cancer is confirmed. Also, the resilience variable has the highest eta square (0.698).

References:

حجی‌پور، محدثه و ابهرزنجانی، فرناز. (1403). بررسی رابطه نشخوارفکری و اضطراب مرگ با درماندگی آموخته شده مراقبان بیماران خاص (سرطان) با نقش میانجی تاب آوری. نشریه پیشرفت‌های نوین در روانشناسی، علوم تربیتی و آموزش و پرورش، 77، 79-67. https://jonapte.ir/fa/showart-e1a25a0464c007fe3423c40f2c15de00
حسینی قدمگاهی، جواد؛ دژکام، محمود؛ بیان‌زاده، سیداکبر و فیض، ابوالحسن. (1377). کیفیت روابط اجتماعی، میزان استرس و راهبردهای مقابله با آن در "بیماران عروقی قلبی". اندیشه و رفتار، 4(1)، 24-14.
دلاور، علی. (1402). روش تحقیق در روانشناسی و علوم تربیتی، نشر ارسباران
سامانی، سیامک؛ جوکار، بهرام و صحراگرد، نرگس. (1386). تاب‌آوری، سلامت روانی و رضایتمندی از زندگی. مجله روانپزشکی و روانشناسی بالینی ایران، 13(3)، 295-290. URL: http://ijpcp.iums.ac.ir/article-1-275-fa.html
سرچمی، زیبا؛ ناوی‌پور، حسن و احمدی، فضل الله. (1403). تاثیر مدل مراقبت پیگیر بر بار مراقبتی مراقبین بیماران با ضایعات مغزی نخاعی. نشریه پرستاری ایران، 147، 63-50. URL: http://ijn.iums.ac.ir/article-1-3689-fa.html
عباسی، علی؛ شمسی زاده، مرتضی؛ اسایش، حمید؛ رحمانی، حسین؛ حسینی، سیدعابدین و طالبی، میترا. (1393). ارتباط فشار مراقبتی با روش‌های مقابله ای مراقبین خانوادگی بیماران سرطانی. روان پرستاری، 1(3)، 71-62. URL: http://ijpn.ir/article-1-170-fa.html
ندایی، علی،. پاغوش، عطاءالله،. و هسنیجه، صادقی امیرحسین. (1395) رابطه بین راهبردهای مقابلهای با کیفیت زندگی: نقش واسطه‌ای مهارتهای تنظیم شناختی هیجان. مجله روانشناسی بالینی، 8(4)، 48-35. https://jcp.semnan.ac.ir/article_2252.html
Aamodt, W. W., Kluger, B. M., Mirham, M., Job, A., Lettenberger, S. E., Mosley, P. E., & Seshadri, S. (2024). Caregiver burden in Parkinson disease: a scoping review of the literature from 2017-2022. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 37(2), 96-113.‏ DOI: 10.1177/08919887231195219
Abbasi, A., Shamsizadeh, M., Asayesh, H., Rahmani, H., Hoseini, S. A., & Talebi, M. (2013). The relationship between caregiver burden with coping strategies in Family caregivers of cancer patients. IJPN, 1, (3), 62-71. [Persian].URL: http://ijpn.ir/article-1-170-fa.html
Agyemang-Duah, W., Abdullah, A., & Rosenberg, M. W. (2024). Caregiver burden and health-related quality of life: A study of informal caregivers of older adults in Ghana. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 43(1), 31.‏ DOI:10.1186/s41043-024-00509-3
Babic, R., Babic, M., Rastovic, P., Curlin, M. (2020). Resilience In Health And Illness. Psychiatria Danubina, 32(2), 226-232.
Bastawrous, M. (2012). Caregiver burden—A critical discussion. International journal of nursing studies.
Beltman, S. (2021). Understanding and Examining Teacher Resilience from Multiple Perspectives. Chapter2, in book: Cultivating Teacher Resilience (pp.11-26)
Biling, A. G., & Moose, R. H. (1984). Coping, stress, and social resources among sdults with unibipolar depression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 877-891. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.46.4.877
Chen, MC., Chen, KM., & Chu, TP. (2015). Caregiver burden, health status, and learned resourcefulness of older caregivers. West J Nurs Res, 37(6), 767-80. DOI: 10.1177/0193945914525280
Conner, KM., & Davidson, JR. (2003). Development of a new resilience scale: The Conner-Davidson Resilience scale (CD-RISC). Depress Anxiety, 18(2), 76-82. DOI: 10.1002/da.10113
Delavar, A., (2004). Educational and psychological research, Arasbaran prres. [Persian].
Dev, R., Agosta, M., Fellman, B., Reddy, A., Baldwin, S., Arthur, J., ... & Bruera, E. (2024). Coping strategies and associated symptom burden among patients with advanced cancer. The Oncologist, 29(2), 166-175.‏ DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyad253
Elghazally, S., Alkarn, A., Elkhayat, H., Ibrahim, A, & Elkhayat, M. (2021). Burnout Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Health-Care Professionals at Assiut University Hospitals. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5368. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105368
Gao, T., Ding, X., Chai, J., Zhang, Z., Zhang, H., Kong, Y., Mei, S. (2018). The influence of resilience on mental health: The role of general well-being. Int J Nurs Pract, 23(3). DOI: 10.1111/ijn.12535
Given, BA. (2019). Safety of Care by Caregivers of Cancer Pa tients. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 35(4), 374-379. DOI: 10.1016/j.soncn.2019.06.011
Hajipour, M., & Abharzanjani, F. (2024). Investigating the relationship between rumination and death anxiety with learned helplessness in caregivers of special patients (cancer) with the mediating role of resilience. Journal of New Advances in Psychology, Educational Sciences and Education, 77, 67-79. [Persian]. https://jonapte.ir/fa/showart-e1a25a0464c007fe3423c40f2c15de00
Hajure, M., Alemu, S. S., Abdu, Z., Tesfaye, G. M., Workneh, Y. A., Dule, A., ... & Gezimu, W. (2024). Resilience and mental health among perinatal women: a systematic review. Frontiers in psychiatry, 15, 1373083.‏ DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1373083
Haskell, A. M., Britton, P. C., & Servatius, R. J. (2020). Toward an assessment of escape/avoidance coping in depression. Behavioural brain research, 381, 112363. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112363
Hosseini Ghadamgahi, J., Dejkam, M., Bayanzadeh, S. A., & Feyz, A. (1998). Quality of social relationships, level of stress and coping strategies in "cardiovascular patients. Thought and Behavior, 4(1), 14-24. [Persian].
Irenaeus, S., Garmo, H., Gedeborg, R., Robinson, D., Stattin, P., Beckmann, K. (2024). Patterns of treatment in men with intermediate-, high-, and very high-risk prostate cancer according to their modelled life expectancy. European Urology, 1(85), 1265-1276. doi: 10.1016/j.euros.2021.12.011
İşleyen, E. K., Korkmaz, S. E., Narcıkara, C., & Ekici, B. (2025). Caregiver burden, religious coping, and spiritual well-being among caregivers of elderly stroke patients and predictors affecting spiritual well-being. Psychogeriatrics: the official journal of the Japanese Psychogeriatric Society, 25(1), e13206.‏ DOI: 10.1111/psyg.13206
Jeyathevan, G., Catharine Craven, B., Cameron, JI., & Jaglal, SB. (2020). Facilitators and barriers to supporting individuals with spinal cord injury in the community: Experiences of family caregivers and care recipients. Disabil Rehabil, 42(13), 1844-54. DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2018.1541102
Li, Y., Wang, K., Yin, Y., Li, Y., & Li, SH. (2018). Relationships between family resilience, breast cancer survivors' individual resilience, and caregiver burden: A cross-sectional study. Int J Nurs Stud, 88, 79-84. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.08.011
Lu, H. H., & Liang, S. Y. (2024, September). Predictors of Coping Strategies in Caregivers of Family Members with a Brain Tumor: A Correlational Study. In Healthcare, 12(18), 1897. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12181897
Ma, H-P., Lu, H-J., Xiong, X-Y., Yao, J-Y., & Yang, Z. (2014). The investigation of care burden and coping style in caregivers of spinal cord injury patients. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 1(2), 185-90. DOI:10.1016/j.ijnss.2014.05.010
Machaki, D. V. W., Mutisya, A. K., Mutinda, J., Oluchina, S., & Gatimu, S. M. (2024). Challenges and coping strategies among caregivers of children with cancer receiving care at a national referral hospital in Kenya. BMC Palliative Care, 23(1), 242.‏ DOI: 10.1186/s12904-024-01573-6
Mosher, CE., Ott, MA., Hanna, N., Jalal, SI., & Champion, VL. (2015). Coping with physical and psychological symptoms: a qualita tive study of advanced lung cancer pa tients and their family caregivers. Support Care Cancer, 23(1), 2053-2060. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-014-2566-8
Nedaei, N., Paghoosh, A., Sadeghi Hosnijeh, A. (2016). Relationship between Coping Strategies and Quality of Life: Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Skills. Journal of Clinical Psycology, 8(4), 35-48. [Persian]. https://jcp.semnan.ac.ir/article_2252.html
Novak, M. & Guest, C. I. (1989). Application of a multidimensional Care-giver Burden Inventory. Gerontologist, 29, 798-803. DOI: 10.1093/geront/29.6.798
Purba, F. D., Kumalasari, A. D., Novianti, L. E., Kendhawati, L., Noer, A. H., & Ninin, R. H. (2021). Marriage and quality of life during COVID-19 pandemic. PloS one, 16(9), e0256643. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256643
Samani, S., Jokar, B., & Sahragard, N. (2008). Effects of Resilience on Mental Health and Life Satisfaction. Iraninan Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, 13(3), 295-290. [Persian]. URL: http://ijpcp.iums.ac.ir/article-1-275-fa.html
Sarcami, Z., Naviporh, H., & Amadi, F. (2024). Effect of Continuous Care Model-based Intervention on the Care Burden of the Caregivers of Patients With Spinal Cord Injury. IJN,37(147), 50-63. URL: http://ijn.iums.ac.ir/article-1-3689-fa.html
Sisto, A., Vicinanza, F., Campanozzi, L. L., Ricci, G., Tartaglini, D., & Tambone, V. (2019). Towards a Transversal Definition of Psychological Resilience: A Literature Review. Medicina (Kaunas), 55(11), 745. doi: 10.3390/medicina55110745
Smith, GR., Williamson, GM., Miller, LS., & Schulz, R. (2011). Depression and quality of informal care: A longitudinal investigation of caregiving stressors. Psychology and aging, 26(3), 584. doi: 10.1037/a0022263
Sullivan, AB., & Miller, D. (2015). Who is taking care of the caregiver?. Journal of patient experience, 2(1), 7-12. doi: 10.1177/237437431500200103
Tang, H., Hammack, C., Ogden, S. C., Wen, Z., Qian, X., Li, Y., . . . Lee, E. M. (2016). Zika virus infects human cortical neural progenitors and attenuates their growth. Cell stem cell, 18(5), 587-590. DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2016.02.016
Tian, S., Huangfu, L., Deng, J., Shi, L., & Lu, L. (2024). Associations of sleep pattern with survival and life expectancy of cancer patients. Sleep Medicine, 1(115), 92-104. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2016.06.041
Toygar, I., Ye şilbalkan, OU., GüzelMalseven, Y., & Sönmez, E. (2019). Effect of re flexology on anxiety and sleep of informal cancer caregiver: Randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Prac tice, 39(1), 1-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101143
Tu, T., Tran, T., Kwon, H., & Cho, H. (2023). Frailty-adjusted life expectancy and survival in older lung cancer patients: A large-scale electronic health-record based study. Annals of Oncology, 34(40), 165-177.
Wangliu, Y., & Chen, J. K. (2024). The mediating role of coping strategies between caregiving burden and pre‐death grief among Chinese adult‐child caregivers of dementia patients. Journal of Advanced Nursing.‏ DOI: 10.1111/jan.16118
Zhang, Y., Li, J., Zhang, Y., Chen, C., Guan, C., Zhou, L., ... & Hu, X. (2024). Mediating effect of social support between caregiver burden and quality of life among family caregivers of cancer patients in palliative care units. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 68, 102509.‏ DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2024.102509