Quality of life after chemotherapy: the role of hope and mediation of emotion regulation

Abstract

Hope and emotion regulation are frequently referred to as important for coping with therapy procedures for cancer. The aim of the study is to reveal if the state of hope before chemotherapy influences quality of life (QoL) after chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients. The second unexplored question is wheather this relation is mediated by regulation of emotion. Colorectal cancer patients (N=32) completed Adult State Hope Scale and Inventory of Cognitive Affective Regulation Strategies (ICARUS) before chemotherapy and measures of QoL after chemotherapy. Analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro in which three dimensions of ICARUS were expected to mediate the relation between hope and QoL. The results suggested that both direct effect of hope: 95%BC(.01-.11) and two simultaneous indirect effects via emotion regulation were significant predictors of QoL:95%BC(-05 – -.00) & 95%BC(.-10 – -.00) We found that hope as well as the way of managing emotions are relevant factors of QoL after chemotherapy. That means that work on improving of QoL of colorectal patients must include not only enhancing hope, but also developing of positive and reducing pathological strategies.