ISSN 2079-6617
eISSN 2309-9828
Psycho-Emotional and Personal Spheres of Cancer Patients in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Psycho-Emotional and Personal Spheres of Cancer Patients in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

PDF (Rus)

Recieved: 01/15/2025

Accepted: 04/01/2025

Published: 04/09/2025

Keywords: oncopathology; pandemic; COVID-19; cancer patients; psychoemotional sphere; personal sphere; distress

Pages: 53-66

DOI: 10.11621/npj.2025.0204

Available online: 09.04.2025

To cite this article:

Ermakov, P.N., Kit, O.I., Kovsh, E.M., Zvereva, L.V. (2025). Psycho-Emotional and Personal Spheres of Cancer Patients in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic. National Psychological Journal, 20(2) , 53-66. https://doi.org/10.11621/npj.2025.0204

Copied to Clipboard

Copy
Issue 2, 2025

Ermakov, P.N. Southern Federal University

Kit, O.I. National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health

Kovsh, E.M. Southern Federal University

Zvereva, L.V. Southern Federal University

Abstract

Background. The relevance of the research is due to the continuing threat of the spread of new strains of infectious diseases, which increases the emotional burden of cancer patients and may contribute to their personal, psycho-emotional, and value-meaning transformations.

Objective. The aim is to study the features of the psychological symptomatic status, personal characteristics and value-meaning orientations of cancer patients in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and out of it.

Study Participants. 300 cancer patients were examined in the period from January 2022 to November 2024 on the basis of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “NMRC of Oncology” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Rostov-on-Don).

Methods. Theoretical analysis, psychodiagnostics (SCL-90-R, 5PFQ, test of life sense orientations by D.A. Leontiev, “Value orientations” by M. Rokich), and statistical research methods (MANOVA, post-hoc).

Results. The personal characteristics of cancer patients in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic were characterized by more pronounced maladaptivity. A study of the life-meaning orientations of cancer patients in the context of a pandemic has shown that they have an internal conflict. The value orientations of cancer patients in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and outside it differ, but their psychoemotional characteristics do not.

Conclusions. The results obtained expand the existing understanding of the peculiarities of the psycho-emotional and personal spheres of a person in the presence of life-threatening diseases.

References

Afanasyeva, Z.A., Sibgatullina, I.F., Fedorenko, M.V. (2009). The importance of latent features of cancer patients in socio-psychological rehabilitation. Obrazovanie i samorazvitie = Education and Self-development, (2), 216-221. (In Russ.)

Akimenko, G.V. (2022). Stress factors and personality resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Problems and prospects of international exchange of innovative technologies. Scientific and Practical Conference (March 19, 2022). (pp. 49-51). Sterlitamak: AMI Publ. (In Russ.)

Al-Shamsi, H.O., Alhazzani, W., Alhuraiji, A., Coomes, E.A., Chemaly, R.F. et al. (2020). A practical approach to the management of cancer patients during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: an international collaborative group. The Oncologist, 25(6), e936-e945. https://doi.org/10.1634/theoncologist.2020-0213

Arutyunov, G.P., Tarlovskaya, E.I., Arutyunov, A.G., Belenkov, Yu.N., Konradi, A.O. et al. (2021). International Registry "Analysis of the dynamics of comorbid diseases in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2" (ACTIVE SARS-CoV-2): predictor analysis of adverse outcomes of the acute stage of the new coronavirus infection. Rossijskij kardiologicheskij zhurnal = Russian Journal of Cardiology, (4), 116-131. (In Russ.)

Aschwanden, D., Strickhouser, J.E., Sesker, A.A., Lee, J.H., Luchetti, M. et al. (2021). Psychological and behavioural responses to coronavirus disease 2019: The role of personality. European Journal of Personality, 35(1), 51-66. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2281

Belyaev, A.M., Chulkova, V.A., Semiglazova, T.Y., Rogachev, M.V. (eds.). (2017). Oncopsychology for oncologists and medical psychologists. St. Petersburg: Lyubavich Publ. (In Russ.)

Chulkova, V.A., Moiseenko, V.M. (2009). Psychological problems in oncology. Prakticheskaya onkologiya = Practical Oncology, 10(3), 151-157. (In Russ.)

Dovbysh, D.V., Kiseleva, M.G. (2020). Cognitive emotion regulation, anxiety, and depression in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 13(4), 134-147. https://doi.org/10.11621/pir.2020.0409

Emilsson, M., Gustafsson, P., Öhnström, G., Marteinsdottir, I. (2020). Impact of personality on adherence to and beliefs about ADHD medication, and perceptions of ADHD in adolescents. BMC Psychiatry, 20, 139. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02543-x

Evans, E. (1926). A psychological study of cancer. New York: Dodd, Mead Publ.

Gregrek, R., Bras, M., Dordevic, V. (2010). Psychological problem of patients with cancer. Psychiatria Danubina, (2), 227-230.

Hakulinen, C., Hintsanen, M., Munafò, M.R., Virtanen, M., Kivimäki, M., Batty, G.D., Jokela, M. (2015). Personality and smoking: Individual-participant meta-analysis of nine cohort studies. Addiction, 110, 1844-1852. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.13079

Khasanova, R.R., Zubarevich, N.V. (2021). Fertility, mortality, and the situation of the regions at the beginning of the second wave of the pandemic. Ekonomicheskoe razvitie Rossii = Economic Development of Russia, 28(1), 77-87. (In Russ.)

Khromov, A.B., Basimov, M.M. (ed.). (2000). The five-factor personality questionnaire: An educational and methodological guide. Kurgan: KSU Publ. (In Russ.)

Klaassen, Z., Wallis, C.J. (2021). Assessing patient risk from cancer and COVID-19: Managing patient distress. Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, 39(5), 243-246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urolonc.2021.01.023

Krivoshchekov, S.G., Leutin, V.P., Divert, V.E., Divert, G.M., Platonov, Ya.G., Kovtun, L.T., Komlyagina, T.G., Mozolevskaya, N.V. (2004). Systemic mechanisms of adaptation and compensation. Sibirskij nauchnyj medicinskij zhurnal = Siberian Scientific Medical Journal, (2), 148-153. (In Russ.)

Lai, A.G., Pasea, L., Banerjee, A., Denaxas, S., Katsoulis, M. et al. (2020). Estimating excess mortality in people with cancer and multimorbidity in the COVID-19 emergency. MedRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.27.20083287

Laskov, V.B., Tretyakova, E.E., Logacheva, E.A. (2017). Catastrophization of pain: neuropsychological aspects of delusions and iatrogenically conditioned psychogenias in clinical practice. Psychology of health and disease: a clinical and psychological approach. Seventh All-Russian Conference with International Participation. (pp. 191-196). Kursk: Kursk State Medical University Publ. (In Russ.)

Leontiev, D.A. (1992). Methods of studying value orientations. Moscow: Smysl Publ. (In Russ.)

Leontiev, D.A. (2000). The test of life sense orientations. 2nd ed. Moscow: Smysl Publ. (In Russ.)

Liu, S., Yang, L., Zhang, C., Xiang, Y.T., Liu, Z., Hu, S., Zhang, B. (2020). Online mental health services in China during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(4), e17-e18. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30077-8

Maslyakov, V.V., Levina, V.A., Nakaeva, E.Yu. (2014). Quality of life and postoperative rehabilitation of breast cancer patients. Medicinskij vestnik Severnogo Kavkaza = Medical Bulletin of the North Caucasus, 9(1), 26-29. (In Russ.). http://dx.doi.org/10.14300/mnnc.2014.09007

Massicotte, V., Ivers, H., Savard, J. (2021). COVID-19 pandemic stressors and psychological symptoms in breast cancer patients. Current Oncology, 28(1), 294-300. https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol28010034

Matos, M., McEwan, K., Kanovský, M., Halamová, J., Steindl, S.R. et al. (2022). Compassion protects mental health and social safeness during the COVID-19 pandemic across 21 countries. Mindfulness, 13(4), 863-880. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01822-2

Ng, D.W., Chan, F.H., Barry, T.J., Lam, C., Chong, C.Y. et al. (2020). Psychological distress during the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic among cancer survivors and healthy controls. Psycho-Oncology, 29(9), 1380-1383. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5437

Ozdemir, D., Tas Arslan, F. (2018). An investigation of the relationship between social support and coping with stress in women with breast cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 27(9), 2214-2219. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4798

Paterson, C., Gobel, B., Gosselin, T., Haylock, P.J., Papadopoulou, C., Slusser, K., Rodriguez, A., Pituskin, E. (2020). Oncology nursing during a pandemic: Critical reflections in the context of COVID-19. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 36(3), 151028. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2020.151028

Petrov, A.G., Khoroshilova, O.V., Semenikhin, V.A., Filimonov, S.N., Vayman, E.F., Grigorieva, E.B. (2023). The effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation of cancer patients as the most important criterion for improving the quality of life. Medicina v Kuzbasse = Medicine in Kuzbass, 22(4), 28-37. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.24412/2687-0053-2023-4-28-37

Rockeach, M. (1973). The Nature of Human Values. New York: Free Press.

Romito, F., Dellino, M., Loseto, G., Opinto, G., Silvestris, E. et al. (2020). Psychological distress in outpatients with lymphoma during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Oncology, 10, 1270. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2020.01270

Seledtsov, A.M., Kirina, Yu.Yu., Akimenko, G.V. (2020). Mental health issues in a pandemic. Dnevnik nauki = Diary of Science, (8), 1-13. (In Russ.)

Simakina, A.A., Erkenova, S.A. (2021). The coronavirus pandemic as a factor in changing people's life orientations. In Collegium Linguisticum - 2021. (pp. 635-640). Moscow: Moscow State Linguistic University Publ. (In Russ.)

Simonton, K., Simonton, S. (2001). Cancer Psychotherapy. St. Petersburg: Piter Publ. (In Russ.)

Smulevich, A.B., Ivanov, S.V., Samushiya, M.A. (2014). Pathocharacterological predisposition and the formation of nosogenic (somatic disease-provoked) mental disorders. Psihicheskie rasstrojstva v obshchej medicine = Mental Disorders in General Medicine, (2), 7-13. (In Russ.)

Snigur, V.B. (2021). The relationship between cognitive regulation of emotions and the level of perceived stress. Psychological knowledge in the context of modernity: theory and practice. Eleventh All-Russian (with International Participation) Scientific and Practical Conference (June 29-30, 2021). (pp. 281-285). Yoshkar-Ola: STRING Publ. (In Russ.)

Sorokoumova, E.A., Cherdymova, E.I. (2021). Meaningful attitudes in understanding the situation of self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psihologicheskie problemy smysla zhizni i acme = Psychological Problems of the Meaning of Life and Acme, (1), 49-52. (In Russ.)

Sudakov, D.V., Nazliev, D.K., Belov, E.V., Sudakov, O.V., Shevtsov, A.N. (2020). Assessment of some aspects of the psychoemotional status in women with breast cancer during an unfavorable epidemiological situation. In: Questions of Education and Psychology. (pp. 162-171). Cheboksary: Sreda Publ. (In Russ.)

Sutin, A.R., Stephan, Y., Luchetti, M., Artese, A., Oshio, A., Terracciano, A. (2016). The five-factor model of personality and physical inactivity: A meta-analysis of 16 samples. Journal of Research in Personality, 63, 22-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2016.05.001

Swainston, J., Chapman, B., Grunfeld, E.A., Derakshan, N. (2020). COVID-19 lockdown and its adverse impact on psychological health in breast cancer. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 20-33. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02033

Tarabrina, N.V. (2001). A workshop on the psychology of post-traumatic stress. St. Petersburg: Piter Publ. (In Russ.)

Trusova, A., Faustova, A. (2023). Assessment of the value of life as a predictor of post-traumatic growth in cancer patients. In: Ananyev readings - 2023. Man in the modern world: potentials and prospects. (pp. 67-78). St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg University Publ. (In Russ.)

Venderbos, L.D., Van Den Bergh, R.C., Roobol, M.J., Schröder, F.H., Essink-Bot, M.L., Bangma, C.H., Steyerberg, E.W., Korfage, I.J. (2015). A longitudinal study on the impact of active surveillance for prostate cancer on anxiety and distress levels. Psycho-Oncology, 24(3), 348-354. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.3657

Watts, S., Leydon, G., Eyles, C., Moore, C.M., Richardson, A. et al. (2015). A quantitative analysis of the prevalence of clinical depression and anxiety in patients with prostate cancer undergoing active surveillance. BMJ Open, 5(5), e006674. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006674

Wilson, K.E., Dishman, R. (2015). Personality and physical activity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 72, 230-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.08.023

To cite this article:

Ermakov, P.N., Kit, O.I., Kovsh, E.M., Zvereva, L.V.. Psycho-Emotional and Personal Spheres of Cancer Patients in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic. // National Psychological Journal 2025. 2. Pages53-66. doi: 10.11621/npj.2025.0204

Copied to Clipboard

Copy