Abstract:

Objective To explore the status of learned helplessness in breast cancer patients and analyze its influencing factors. Methods From December 2021 to August 2022, 303 patients with breast cancer who were admitted to a tertiary A-level cancer hospital in Guangdong Province were selected as the subjects for investigation, and were assessed with the general information questionnaire, Learned Helplessness Scale(LHS), General Self-Efficacy Scale(GSES), and Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS). Results The score of learned helplessness in 303 breast cancer patients was(62.30±9.92). Family monthly income ( β=-0.217), clinical staging ( β=0.119), breast-conserving surgery( β=0.269), self-efficacy( β=-0.260), and total social support score( β=-0.294) were the main influencing factors of learned helplessness, which could predict 53.4% of the total variation. Conclusion The level of learned helplessness in breast cancer patients is relatively high. Clinical nursing staffs should pay attention to evaluating the level of learned helplessness of patients, focusing on patients with low family monthly income, mastectomy and advanced clinical staging, and developing strategies to enhance patients’ self-efficacy and social support, thereby reducing their level of learned helplessness.

Key words: Breast cancer, Learned helplessness, Self-efficacy, Social support