Facilitating psychological adjustment for breast cancer patients through empathic communication and uncertainty reduction

This study examined the degree to which breast cancer patients’ psychological well-being is facilitated through empathic provider communication. We explored symptom/prognostic uncertainty reduction as a mechanism through which provider communication influences patient psychological adjustment. Additionally, we tested if treatment status moderates this relationship. Informed by uncertainty in illness theory, current (n = 121) and former (n = 187) breast cancer patients completed questionnaires about perceptions of their oncologists’ empathy and their symptom burden, uncertainty, and adjustment to their diagnosis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to test hypothesized relationships between perceived provider empathic communication, uncertainty, symptom burden, and psychological adjustment. SEM supported the following: (1) higher symptom burden was associated with increased uncertainty and reduced psychological adjustment, (2) lower uncertainty was associated with increased adjustment, and (3) increased empathic communication was associated with lower symptom burden and uncertainty for all patients (χ2(139) = 307.33, p < .001; RMSEA = .063 (CI .053, .072); CFI = .966; SRMR = .057). Treatment status moderated these relationships (Δχ2 = 264.07, Δdf = 138, p < .001) such that the strength of the relationship between uncertainty and psychological adjustment was stronger for former patients than for current patients. Results of this study reinforce the importance of perceptions of provider empathic communication as well as the potential benefits of eliciting and addressing patient uncertainty about treatment and prognosis throughout the cancer care continuum. Patient uncertainty should be a priority for cancer-care providers both throughout and post-treatment for breast cancer patients.