The impact of social constraints and intrusive thoughts on distress among newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients

Prostate cancer (PCA) is the most frequent cancer among men in the western world and causes many patients emotional distress. Increasing evidence suggests that distress around the time of diagnosis is one of the strongest predictors of subsequent distress, but little is known about modifiable factors that might contribute to distress around the time of PCA diagnosis. The aim of this study was to examine if the cognitive processing theory explained variability in distress among newly diagnosed patients. Based on that theory, it was hypothesized that intrusive thoughts about cancer would be associated with higher levels of distress but only among patients who perceived social constraints from their partner, on expressing their concern about the cancer. Participants consisted of 108 newly diagnosed PCA patients who completed a questionnaire measuring social constraints from spouse, intrusive thoughts and distress. Regression analysis revealed that there was a significant interaction between social constraints from spouse and intrusive thoughts on distress. The strongest relationship between intrusive thoughts and distress was when social constraints were high. These results indicate that when newly diagnosed PCA patients have the opportunity to express themselves to their partner, intrusive thoughts about the cancer have little impact on distress