Influencia del estilo de afrontamiento sobre el ajuste a la enfermedad en adolescentes oncológicosimplicaciones y factores relacionados

Abstract

The general aim of this study is to assess coping strategies to cancer disease in the adolescent population and the implications of this coping on the adjustment to the disease in the different phases of the disease. This general objective is specified in the following specific objectives: 1. To study the coping strategies for coping with cancer disease in adolescents throughout the disease process. 2. To evaluate the relationship between the different coping strategies with the internalised problems (depression, anxiety, social anxiety, somatic complaints, post-traumatic symptomatology and obsession-compulsion) and the externalised problems (attention problems, hyperactivity-impulsivity, anger management problems, aggression, defiant behaviour and antisocial behaviour) of the participants. 3. To analyse the influence of different coping strategies on quality of life (mental and physical). 4. To study differences in coping styles over the course of adolescence. 5. To assess whether there are differences in coping styles according to gender. 6. To observe differences in coping styles as a function of the interaction between age and gender. 7. To assess differences in coping strategies as a function of the treatment applied during the different phases of the disease process. Method. This is a quantitative and descriptive study using a cross-sectional observational methodology. A total of 201 adolescent participants between 12 and 17 years of age diagnosed with oncological diseases were selected through the associations Aspanion and Asion. Several assessment instruments were used to measure variables such as coping, quality of life, emotional and behavioural problems, among others. These instruments included an ad hoc socio-demographic questionnaire, Adolescent Coping Scales (ACS), Child and Adolescent Assessment System (SENA) and the SF-12 questionnaire. The procedure included submitting the project to ethical committees and obtaining consent from participants and their legal guardians. Participants were assessed by means of self-administered questionnaires, programmed in a battery, with an average response time of 60 minutes. Statistical analysis included descriptive analyses, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), analysis of covariance and post hoc tests to compare means and relationships between variables. The statistical package IBM SPSS Statistics v.26.0 was used, with a significance level set at p < .05. Conclusions. 1. Variation is observed in the coping strategies used by adolescents with oncological diseases throughout the disease process. During treatment, strategies such as worry and self-blame are intensified, whereas in the follow-up period the use of these strategies decreases. These findings underline the importance of adapting interventions according to changing emotional demands during the illness. 2. There is a significant connection between coping strategies and both internalised and externalised mental health problems in adolescents with cancer illness. This association highlights the importance of considering coping strategies in mental health interventions for these individuals. 3. Coping strategies are related to the quality of life, both physical and mental, of adolescents with cancer diseases. This suggests that addressing coping strategies may be crucial in improving various aspects of quality of life for these patients. 4. Significant differences in coping strategies are observed according to the age and gender of the adolescents. Females tend to use more strategies focused on social support and problem solving, while males are more likely to use avoidance and emotional minimisation strategies. These differences highlight the importance of considering individual factors in coping interventions. 5. The type of treatment applied influences the coping strategies used by adolescents. Those undergoing more intensive treatments seek more social and emotional support, while those under less invasive treatments tend to resort to avoidance and self-blame strategies. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring interventions according to the type of treatment received.