Effects of coping style and relaxation on cancer chemotherapy side effects and emotional responses

• Published in: Cancer nursing Vol. 13; no. 5; p. 308
• Main Authors: Lerman, C, Rimer, B, Blumberg, B, Cristinzio, S, Engstrom, P F, MacElwee, N, O'Connor, K, Seay, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.1990
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nausea - chemically induced; Nausea - prevention & control; Nausea - psychology; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - psychology; Relaxation Therapy - standards; Stress, Psychological - chemically induced; Stress, Psychological - prevention & control; Stress, Psychological - psychology
• ISSN: 0162-220X
• DOI: 10.1097/00002820-199010000-00006

This study was designed to determine (a) the relationship of coping style to cancer chemotherapy side effects and (b) whether coping style moderated the impact of a relaxation intervention on anxiety, depression, and nausea associated with chemotherapy. Forty-eight cancer patients were assigned randomly to receive either progressive muscle relaxation training before chemotherapy (experimental group) or standard care (control group). Spearman correlations indicated that a "blunting" or distraction-oriented coping style was associated with less anticipatory anxiety, less depression, and less nausea during and after chemotherapy. Spearman correlations also indicated that a "monitoring" or information-gathering coping style was associated with more anticipatory anxiety, and more nausea before and during chemotherapy. Although there was a significant effect of the relaxation intervention on posttreatment nausea, there were no other between-group differences. The results did suggest, however, that relaxation was effective in reducing anticipatory anxiety among "blunters," but not "monitors," perhaps because relaxation is a distraction strategy and therefore is consistent with a blunting coping style. The effects of coping and relaxation on pretreatment anxiety may have important implications, because anxiety is a key factor in classic conditioning models of anticipatory nausea and vomiting.