Relationships among Social Support, Coping Style, Perceived Stress, and Psychological Distress in Chinese Lung Cancer Patients

Objective: Social support is associated with improved psychological distress in cancer patients. This study investigates the impact of social support on Chinese lung cancer patients' psychological distress and further clarifies the mediating role of perceived stress and coping style. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study examined social support and psychological distress in 441 patients diagnosed with lung cancer from seven hospitals in Chongqing, China, between September 2018 and August 2019. Coping style and perceived stress were considered to be potential mediators of adjustment outcomes. Results: We found a detection rate of 17.7% for psychological distress among Chinese lung cancer patients. Social support was in significantly negative association with psychological distress, which was partially mediated by confrontation coping and perceived stress. Conclusions: Social support appears to contribute to ameliorate psychological distress by enhancing confrontation coping with cancer and enhancing perceived stress. There is a need for the development and evaluation of psychological intervention program to enhance the buffering effects of social support in lung cancer patients.