Abstract
The present study examined the relationships between a number of psychosocial variables in a sample of early stage breast cancer patients following surgery. The first hypothesis predicted that pre-operative partner support would buffer against pre-operative anxiety in predicting interference in activities due to pain three months after surgery. No significant relationship was found between anxiety or partner support around the time of surgery and subsequent interference in daily activities due to pain at any time point after surgery. The second set of hypotheses predicted that avoidant coping, interference in daily activities due to pain, participation in social and recreational activities, and type of treatment three months after surgery would mediate between Post-surgical depression and feelings of illness three months after surgery. Results did not support this path. It was hypothesized that feelings of illness three months after surgery would mediate between post-surgical depression and expectations of disease recurrence three months after surgery. Results suggested that illness ratings three months after surgery partially mediated between post-surgical depression and expectations of disease recurrence three months after surgery. The second set of hypotheses were expected to be replicable at subsequent time points. Results suggested that depression three months after surgery was associated with illness ratings, interference in daily activities due to pain, and expectations of disease recurrence all assessed at six months after surgery. It also appeared that a sub-sample of participants suffered from post-mastectomy pain syndrome.