The influence of family functioning on the severity of fear of cancer recurrence: A cross-sectional study in a sample of breast cancer survivors of Lebanese women.

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To explore the links between family functioning-in terms of cohesion, flexibility, and communication-and the fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in a sample of breast cancer survivors of Lebanese women. This was a cross-sectional study among 62 Lebanese adult women (mean age: 51.0±8.29 years; years since diagnosis: 7.19±7.06) in remission, included via convenience and snowball sampling. A multicomponent questionnaire, encompassing socio-demographic and medical questions, the "Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale," the "Family communication scale," and the "Family satisfaction scale" (FACES IV) and the short version of the "Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory" (FCRI-SF), was used. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted. A p-value<0.01 was used to indicate statistical significance. On average, FCR was clinically non-significant (12.31±7.76). The sample had a low disengagement (20.01±4.83), very low enmeshment (19.68±4.57), very low rigid operation (21.7±4.26), very low chaotic functioning (16.43±4.48), high family communication level (38.78±7.96), connected balanced cohesion (28.18±5.47), very flexible balanced flexibility (26.81±4.56), and low level of family satisfaction (34.53±8.04). A very low chaotic functioning in the family (B=-11.37, Beta=-0.49, 99%CI=-19.54, -3.19), very high and low communication (B=-6.04, Beta=-0.33, 99%CI=-11.42, -0.67; B=-11.85, Beta=-0.46, 99%CI=-20.13, -3.58, respectively), very flexible balanced flexibility (B=-10.36, Beta=-0.67, 99%CI=-15.77, -4.94) and younger age (B=-0.31, Beta=-0.37, 99%CI=-0.59, -0.04) predicted a lower FCR score. Balanced flexibility and the quality of communication within the family were associated with a decreased FCR, while chaotic family functioning increased FCR severity. Cohesion, disengagement, enmeshment, and family satisfaction did not impact the severity of FCR.