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Actor and Partner Effects of Factors Influencing Fear of Cancer Recurrence
among Cancer Patients with Radiotherapy and Their Family Caregivers

R. Ge and H. Wan 2
1

1 2
Nursing Department, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, China, and Nursing Department,
Fudan University, China

Background: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) poses a significant psychological challenge for
patients undergoing radiotherapy and their family caregivers, affecting their overall well-being.

Objective: This study examines the actor and partner effects of mindfulness, depression, and family
avoidance of communication about cancer (FACC) on FCR of both patients and caregivers. This research
contributes to the development of a dyadic intervention strategy for addressing FCR in psycho-oncology.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 265 inpatient cancer patients with radiotherapy and their family
caregivers were sampled. Data on demographics, FCR, mindfulness, depression, and FACC were collected
from both patients and caregivers in the final week of treatment. Actor-partner interdependence models
through structural equation modeling were employed to analyze the actor and partner effects of
mindfulness, depression, and FACC on FCR among patients and caregivers.

Results: After adjusting for literacy, the Actor-partner interdependence models revealing that mindfulness
from both patients and caregivers negatively predicted their own FCR, and mindfulness of caregivers also
negatively predicted the patient’s FCR. Conversely, depression in both groups positively predicted their
own FCR, with the caregivers’ depression positively predicted the patient’s FCR. Additionally, FACC positively
predicted FCR for both individuals and their counterparts. However, patients’ mindfulness and depression
did not predict caregivers’ FCR.
Oral Presentation Abstracts
Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that future interventions should consider patients and
caregivers as a unified entity. It is recommended to enhance mindfulness level, mitigate depression, and
improve cancer-related communication to collectively reduce the FCR for both patients and caregivers.

Keywords: cancer, radiotherapy, family caregivers, fear of recurrence, actor-partner interdepdence model

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Correspondence: Hongwei Wan, Nursing Department, Fudan University, China
E-mail: 3091344671@qq.com

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