Social support, social constraint, and psychological adjustment in patients with colorectal cancer

Cancer patients' social networks, particularly their spouses or romantic partners, can promote or undermine their psychological adjustment. This study examined the relative associations of partner social support and social constraint with patients' psychological adjustment and further tested gender's moderating role in these associations. Participants were 124 patients newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer (M age = 56.6 years, 34% female), who completed questionnaires on perceived spousal social support and social constraint, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction. Findings revealed that greater social constraint was significantly associated with lower life satisfaction regardless of gender; however, greater social constraint was only associated with greater depressive symptoms in male patients. No significant associations or interactions with social support were found. Findings highlight the importance for patients-especially male patients-with cancer to feel able to disclose cancer-related thoughts and feelings to their partners and call for more consistent operationalization and measurement when studying patients' social functioning.