Psychological flexibility and anxiety and depression in postoperative thyroid carcinoma patients

Abstract

Objective To explore the relationship among psychological flexibility, anxiety and depression in postoperative thyroid carcinoma patients. Methods A total of 184 postoperative thyroid carcinoma patients selected randomly were measured with Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-Second Edition (AAQ-Ⅱ), Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire(CFQ), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS), Self-rating depression scale(SDS), and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire-the presence of meaning(MLQ-P). Variance analysis, pearson correlation analysis and stepwise multiple regression analysis were conducted in 157 questionnaires which were effective. Results The scores of AAQ-Ⅱ, CFQ, SAS, SDS, MLQ-P were(17.62±7.63), (27.37±11.00), (32.38±6.99), (34.73±7.87), (28.55±5.09) respectively. The MLQ-P scores were negatively correlated with other scales(r=-0.278~-0.427, P<0.01). The correlations among AAQ-Ⅱ, CFQ, SAS, SDS were positive(r=0.359~0.784, P<0.01). The SAS scores and SDS scores in postoperative thyroid carcinoma patients were higher than that in norm group(z=72.28, P<0.01; z=2.25, P<0.05). When stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted on SAS and SDS scores, AAQ-Ⅱ, MLQ-P, CFQ could explain 24.2% variance in anxiety, and AAQ-Ⅱ, MLQ-P could explain 24.4% variance in depression. Conclusion The level of anxiety and depression in postoperative thyroid carcinoma patients is much higher than that in norm. The higher the psychological flexibility, the lower the depression level. Psychological flexibility has significant explanatory power on anxiety and depression. Key words: Thyroid carcinoma; Psychological flexibility; Anxiety; Depression; Meaning in life