Psychosocial support quality and quantity as predictors of anxiety and depression severity for survivors of cancer: Exploring gender and race as moderators

BACKGROUND: Approximately one-third of oncology patients experience psychological distress during treatment. Psychosocial interventions are critical for addressing this need, yet their effectiveness may depend on the type and availability of support. This study examined associations between psychosocial support and anxiety and depression among adult cancer survivors. METHODS: = 92, 63.9%), participated. Exploratory hierarchical linear regression analyses examined the associations between psychosocial support (quantity and quality) and anxiety and depression, with gender and race/ethnicity evaluated as moderators. RESULTS: Social support quality was negatively associated with anxiety levels only for women. In contrast, social support quantity was negatively associated with anxiety levels only among men. In each case, the association was not statistically significant for the other gender. Next, psychosocial support quality was negatively associated with anxiety only for people of color; for White participants, the association was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Exploratory hierarchical linear regression analyses demonstrated that psychosocial support is a significant factor in reducing anxiety among cancer survivors in this study. The quality of psychosocial supports should continue to be assessed by clinicians. Providers may consider increasing referrals for support groups and group therapy to patients and their supports involved in oncology treatment.