SynthesisSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2026
Association between coping strategies and benefit finding in adult cancer patients: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis study aims to synthesize the available evidence on the association between coping strategies and benefit finding (BF) in adult cancer patients and to investigate the potential moderating effects of cancer type, cancer stage, measurement instrument, study design, and sample size.
methodsFollowing PRISMA guidelines, this meta-analysis systematically searched international and Chinese databases from inception to August 7, 2025. Eligible studies were observational investigations reporting associations between coping strategies and BF among adult cancer patients. Data were pooled using fixed- or random-effects models in CMA software. Heterogeneity was explored through subgroup analyses and meta-regression.
resultsA total of 26 studies involving 6078 participants were included. Problem-focused coping (including active coping, confrontation, planning, instrumental support, and positive coping) was moderately to strongly associated with BF (r = 0.446, 95% CI: 0.382-0.505). Positive emotion-focused coping (including acceptance, positive reframing, emotional support, humor, and religious coping) showed a moderate positive association with BF (r = 0.340, 95% CI: 0.308-0.370). Negative emotion-focused coping was not significantly associated with BF (r = 0.009, 95% CI: -0.111-0.129), although resignation was negatively associated with BF, whereas avoidance and negative coping showed nonsignificant associations. Self-blame, self-distraction, substance use, and venting were positively associated with certain outcomes, although these findings were based on a limited number of studies. Cancer type and coping assessment instrument (e.g., the culturally adapted MCMQ [Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire]) significantly moderated these associations. Cancer stage also moderated the association between problem-focused coping and BF, with stronger correlations observed in studies including participants across all cancer stages. Study design and sample size were not identified as significant moderators.
conclusionProblem-focused coping and positive emotion-focused coping were positively associated with higher levels of BF among cancer patients. These associations varied by cancer type and the measurement instruments used, underscoring the importance of considering individual and contextual factors when interpreting psychosocial outcomes. Routine assessment of coping strategies may help identify patients' psychosocial needs and inform supportive care approaches aimed at fostering positive psychological adjustment throughout the cancer experience.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42463572What OpenQuestion holds
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.