OBJECTIVE:

Depression is the most common psychological disorder observed in breast cancer patients. The purposes of this study were: to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms among women with breast cancer; and examine the association of depressive symptoms and demographic and clinical variables as well as the association between mental adjustment to cancer and level of depressive symptoms.

METHODS:

A total of 150 breast-cancer-diagnosed women were recruited in an Oncology Hospital. The Beck Depression Inventory and The Mini Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale were administered.

RESULTS:

Most of the patients had clinically significant symptoms of depression (56.5%), and there were few women without clinically significant depressive symptoms (18.4%). Both educational level (p < .001) and marital status (p = .041) are associated with depression symptoms. More depression was associated with more helplessness/hopelessness and anxious preoccupation and less fighting spirit and cognitive avoidance.

CONCLUSIONS:

Specific interventions for women with breast cancer should be carried out in order to enhance the mental health and resilience behaviors.

Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.