ArticlePsycho-oncology2013
Sexual problems, communication patterns, and depressive symptoms in couples coping with metastatic breast cancer.
Article in Psycho-oncology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 90 citations in OpenAlex.
- Mindfulness-based interventions for addressing sexual function after cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Pooled it
- Pilot Testing of a Brief Couple-Based Mind-Body Intervention for Patients With Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Their Partners.Journal of pain and symptom management · 2018Trial
- Assessing the perceived usefulness and impact of a sexual health consultation service for female patients in a comprehensive cancer center.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2025Article
- "My body is a cage": A qualitative investigation into the self-discrepancy experiences of young women with metastatic cancer.Chronic illness · 2024Article
- Couples communication and cancer: Sequences and trajectories of behavioral affective processes in relation to intimacy.Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43) · 2024Observational
- Quality of sexual life and associated factors: a cross-sectional survey of Chinese breast cancer patients.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023Article
- Quality of Life and Sexual Satisfaction in Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing a Surgical Treatment and in Their Male Partners.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Article
- Changes and challenges in sexual life experienced by the husbands of women with breast cancer: a qualitative study.BMC women's health · 2022Article
- Coping With Changes to Sex and Intimacy After a Diagnosis of Metastatic Breast Cancer: Results From a Qualitative Investigation With Patients and Partners.Frontiers in psychology · 2022Article
- Qualitative exploration of sexual life among breast cancer survivors at reproductive age.BMC women's health · 2021Article
- Psychosocial aspects and life project disruption in young women diagnosed with metastatic hormone-sensitive HER2-negative breast cancer.Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland) · 2020Review
- A cohort study of quality of life in partners of young breast cancer survivors compared to partners of healthy controls.Journal of patient-reported outcomes · 2020Article
- Communication Needs of Cancer Patients and/or Caregivers: A Critical Literature Review.Journal of oncology · 2020Review
- Changes in sexual life experienced by women in Taiwan after receiving treatment for breast cancer.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2019Article
- Partner status moderates the relationships between sexual problems and self-efficacy for managing sexual problems and psychosocial quality-of-life for postmenopausal breast cancer survivors taking adjuvant endocrine therapy.Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 2019Article
- Does a brief state mindfulness induction moderate disgust-driven social avoidance and decision-making? An experimental investigation.Journal of behavioral medicine · 2015Article
- Depressive rumination and cognitive processes associated with depression in breast cancer patients and their spouses.Families, systems & health : the journal of collaborative family healthcare · 2014Article
- Cancer: a family at risk.Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review · 2014Review
- Personal or relational? Examining sexual health in the context of HIV serodiscordant same-sex male couples.AIDS and behavior · 2014Article
- The role of blame in the psychosocial adjustment of couples coping with lung cancer.Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine · 2012Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe treatment of breast cancer tends to result in physical side effects (e.g., vaginal dryness, stomatitis, and atrophy) that can cause sexual problems. Although studies of early-stage breast cancer have demonstrated that sexual problems are associated with increased depressive symptoms for both patients and their partners, comparatively little is known about these associations in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and how patients and partners cope together with sexual problems. We examined the links between sexual problems, depressive symptoms, and two types of spousal communication patterns (mutual constructive and demand-withdraw) in 191 couples in which the patient was initiating treatment for MBC.
methodsPatients and partners separately completed paper-and-pencil surveys.
resultsMultilevel models indicated that high levels of sexual problems were significantly associated with more depressive symptoms only for patients who reported low levels of mutual constructive communication (p < 0.01) and high levels of demand-withdraw communication (p < 0.0001). In contrast, for partners, greater sexual problems were associated with more depressive symptoms regardless of the communication pattern reported. These associations remained significant when we controlled for patients' reports of average pain and functional and physical well-being and couples' dyadic adjustment.
conclusionsSexual problems were associated with depressive symptoms for both MBC patients and their partners. The way in which patients and partners talk with one another about cancer-related problems seems to influence this association for patients. MBC patients may benefit from programs that teach couples how to minimize demand-withdraw communication and instead openly and constructively discuss sexual issues and concerns.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.