The causal relationship between perceived stress, perceived social support, and resilience with emotional adaptation mediated by body image of breast cancer patients

Background: Breast cancer acts as a leading source of stress in the patient beside being a major challenge for family relationships. Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the causal relationship between perceived stress, perceived social support, and resilience with emotional adaptation by mediating body image in breast cancer patients. Methods: The statistical population of this descriptive-correlational research was cancer patients referred to Khatam hospital, Tehran from October to December 2019. Two hundred samples were selected by Cochran formula using the purposeful sampling method. The used instruments in this study were the Perceived Stress Scale (1983), Perceived Social Support (1988), Resilience (2002), Emotional Adjustment (1961). The proposed model was evaluated by using the path analysis method. Correlation tests such as Pearson correlation coefficient and regression test were used to test the relationships. Results: The proposed model had a goodness of fit based on the results of this study. The results indicated that all direct pathways were significant except for perceived social support. Non-linear correlations between perceived social support and body image adjustment were reported to be 0.22 which was statistically significant. Non-linear correlations between resilience and body image compatibility were reported to be 0.0001 which was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Body image has a mediating role in the relationship between perceived social support, perceived stress and resilience with life satisfaction.