Structual Equation Modeling on Adjustment of Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

Abstract

Purpose: This study was to understand and explain the adjustment of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Variables in this mod- el were social support, uncertainty, resilience and coping. Methods: The data were collected for approximately five months from May through to September 2006 with cancer patients receiving chemotherapy or cancer patients finished chemotherapy using self-admin- istered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics program, Amos 5.0, was employed to verify the goodness of the hypothetic model and the hypotheses formulated in the study. Results: The fitness of the finalized model turned out to be improved (X2 =332.644, df=70, GFI=.809, AGFI=.714, RMSEA=.138, AIC=402.644). Those variables made a 60.8% prediction of the patients adjustment. Con- clusion: The hypothetic model presented in the study could serve to explain the adjustment of cancer patients receiving chemothera- py. Moreover, the use of the conceptual framework of the theory of planned nursing intervention would be very worthwhile as a strat- egy to boost the adjustment of cancer patients when receiving chemotherapy.