Journal Article

Influence of symptom burden on social alienation in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: the chain mediating effect of perceived social support and positive psychological capital

Zhou, Jin, Dang, Guining, Wei, Jiahao, Bu, Mengru, Bai, Ziye, Wu, Xiumei

2025

Overview

Background Social alienation is prevalent among lung cancer (LC) patients undergoing chemotherapy. Although previous research has established an association between social alienation and symptom burden, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain not fully understood. Methods This cross-sectional study used convenience sampling to select 378 LC patients undergoing chemotherapy from September 2022 to December 2023 at a tertiary care hospital in Guangzhou, China. Data collection was conducted using a proprietary Sociodemographic Information Questionnaire, MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI), Social Alienation Questionnaire, Perceptions of Social Support (PSS) Questionnaire, and Positive Psychological Capital (PPC) Questionnaire. To analyze chain-mediated effects, the PROCESS v3.3 Model 6 SPSS macro software was employed. Results The analysis revealed that the burden of symptoms significantly exacerbates social alienation, as evidenced in the mediation effects model (Bootstrap 95% CI: 0.031, 0.092). Furthermore, the burden of symptoms indirectly diminishes PSS (Bootstrap 95% CI: 0.019, 0.057) and PPC (Bootstrap 95% CI: 0.002, 0.020). It is crucial to note that both PSS and PPC significantly mediate the relationship between symptom burden and social alienation, as evidenced (Bootstrap 95% CI: 0.001, 0.011). Conclusions The impact of symptom burden on social alienation is moderated through PSS and PPC, manifesting both directly and indirectly. Moreover, the influence of PPC tends to mitigate the mediating role of PSS. Clinical interventions aimed at bolstering PSS and augmenting PPC may potentially alleviate social alienation and enhance the quality of life for patients undergoing chemotherapy for LC.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Aged / Alienation / Alienation (Philosophy) / Alienation (Social psychology) / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Cancer / Care and treatment / Chemotherapy / China / Clinical Psychology / Cognitive Psychology / Consent / Cost of Illness / Cross-Sectional Studies / Disease / Emotions / Female / Health aspects / Humans / Lung cancer / Lung cancer chemotherapy / Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy / Lung Neoplasms - psychology / Male / Mental health / Middle Aged / Monte Carlo simulation / Mortality / Perceived social support / Physiological aspects / Positive psychological capital / Psychological aspects / Psychological research / Psychology / Psychology Research / Questionnaires / Resilience (Psychology) / Social alienation / Social Alienation - psychology / Social aspects / Social Capital / Social networks / Social Support / Sociodemographics / Statistical power / Surveys and Questionnaires / Symptom Burden / Symptomatology