How does psychological resilience "buffer" against depression in prostate cancer patients following diagnosis?

Abstract

Objective: To (a) investigate the nature of psychological resilience among two samples of prostate cancer patients via factor analysis, (b) determine the effects of the derived factors upon depression in those prostate cancer patients, and (c) plot the trajectory of those effects over the first 5 years following diagnosis. Methods: Postal surveys of 425 PCa patients were collected from two sites: 189 PCa patients at site 1 and 236 at site 2. Background data plus responses to depression and resilience scales were collected. Results: Total resilience score was a significant buffer against depression across both sites. Resilience had different factor structures across sites, but only one (common) factor significantly (inversely) predicted depression. Within that factor, only some specific items significantly inversely predicted depression scores, suggesting a very focussed relationship between resilience and depression. Variability in that inverse relationship between resilience responses and depression was noted over time since diagnosis, with peaks in the correlation between the variables during the first 6 months, at 24 and 60 months. Conclusions: Measures of resilience may be used to screen PCa patients who are at-risk of depression. These patients might benefit from resilience training to enhance their ability to cope effectively with the stress of their diagnosis and treatment. A focus upon specific aspects of overall resilience may be of further benefit in both these processes. These data argue strongly for focussed psychological interventions at various specific periods following a diagnosis of PCa.