Factors related to anxiety and depression in women with breast cancer and their husbands: role of alexithymia and family functioning

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore alexithymia, family functioning, and other factors that might affect anxiety and depression levels in women with breast cancer and in their husbands. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 46 postsurgical ambulatory women with breast cancer and their husbands. Documented informed consent for the study was obtained from each subject. All subjects completed the Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), the Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS), the 20-item Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20), and the family assessment device (FAD). Multiple regression analysis revealed that a high degree of alexithymia in patients correlated with a high degree of patient anxiety. Patient perceptions of inappropriate affective responsiveness among family members correlated with a high degree of depression. Among husbands, a high degree of anxiety was correlated with their own high level of alexithymia or low level of education, and with the occurrence of adjuvant therapy in their wives. Husband perceptions of inappropriate sharing of roles among family members, their own low education level, and a large number of family members correlated with high degrees of depression among them. The present study revealed that alexithymia and family functioning are associated with anxiety and depression, respectively, in both women with breast cancer and in their husbands. Individual traits such as alexithymia and family functioning should be taken into account when we intervene to treat anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients and their husbands.