Abstract 2429: Social Support as a Moderator in the Relationship between Intrusive Thoughts and Psychological Symptoms among Spanish-speaking Latinas with Breast Cancer
Authors: Cristian Escalera, Anna Maria Napoles, Jasmine Santoyo-Olsson, Carmen Ortiz
Journal: Cancer Research (2019)

Abstract Background: Intrusive thoughts are associated with higher levels of psychological symptoms and impaired quality of life in the year after breast cancer treatment. To our knowledge, no studies have examined social support as a potential moderator between intrusive thoughts about breast cancer and psychological symptoms among Latinas. This study aims to assess the moderating effects of different dimensions of social support on the association between intrusive thoughts and psychological symptoms among Spanish-speaking Latina breast cancer survivors. Methods: Analyses were performed using baseline data from a randomized control trial of a stress management intervention delivered to 151 Spanish-speaking Latinas with non-metastatic breast cancer. Survey measures on intrusive thoughts, four dimensions of social support (emotional/information, tangible, affectionate, and positive social interaction), and psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety, and somatization) were obtained at baseline via a structured survey. Information on age, time since diagnosis, breast cancer treatment, surgery type, breast cancer stage, history of depression and marital status was obtained via medical records review and served as covariates. Generalized linear models were used to investigate bivariate and multivariate associations and to explore moderation effects of the four dimensions of social support. Results: In the bivariate models, intrusive thoughts were associated with more depressive (β=0.024, p=0.0014), anxiety (β=0.047, p&amp;lt;.0001) and somatization symptoms (β=0.019, p = 0.0036). In multivariable models, intrusive thoughts remained strongly associated with anxiety symptoms (β=0.132, p=0.0001). In contrast, the effects of intrusive thoughts on depressive and somatization symptoms was attenuated in the multivariate models. Receiving affectionate social support was found to moderate the relationship between intrusive thoughts and anxiety symptoms (β=-0.022, p=0.0055). No dimension of social support was found to have a moderating effect in the relationship between intrusive thoughts and either depressive or somatization symptoms. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that social support, particularly affectionate support, had a protective effect on anxiety symptoms among Spanish-speaking Latinas with breast cancer experiencing intrusive thoughts. Affectionate social support is a possible protective factor that can be developed and encouraged in socio-behavioral interventions for this vulnerable population. Citation Format: Cristian Escalera, Anna Maria Napoles, Jasmine Santoyo-Olsson, Carmen Ortiz. Social Support as a Moderator in the Relationship between Intrusive Thoughts and Psychological Symptoms among Spanish-speaking Latinas with Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2429.