The effects of family resilience and body image on psychosocial adaptation among young and middle-aged breast cancer patients.

Authors

Yanhong Zhou, Wenhui Geng, Fengxia Liu, Xiaomeng Lu, Xiaoling Tian

Published in

Frontiers in psychology. Volume 17. Pages 1909339. Epub Sep 23, 2026.

Abstract

To determine how family resilience and body image are related to psychosocial adaptation in young and middle-aged patients with breast cancer and whether body image functions as a mediator.
Social support is known to be relevant to adaptation after breast cancer. Less is known about the pathway linking family resilience to psychosocial adaptation through body image.
Questionnaire data were obtained from 229 postoperative patients selected by convenience sampling. Family resilience, body image, and psychosocial adaptation were measured using the Chinese versions of the Family Resilience Scale, Body Image Scale, and Psychosocial Adaptation Scale for Breast Cancer, respectively. The hypothesized associations and indirect pathway were evaluated by structural equation modeling.
Valid data were available for 220 of the 229 participants (96.07%). Family resilience, body image, and psychosocial adaptation had mean scores of 102.34 ± 12.93, 7.19 ± 5.91, and 181.10 ± 27.97, respectively. Family resilience was negatively correlated with body image (r = -0.292, P < 0.01) and positively correlated with psychosocial adaptation (r = 0.480, P < 0.01). Of the total association between family resilience and psychosocial adaptation, 67.58% was attributable to the direct pathway and 32.42% to the indirect pathway through body image.
Patients reporting stronger family resilience also showed better psychosocial adaptation. Part of this association operated through body image. Interventions addressing both family resilience and body image may be useful for young and middle-aged patients with breast cancer.
Assessment of psychosocial adaptation should consider both the patient's family environment and concerns about physical appearance. Family-based support may assist patients in managing body image distress and adapting to life after breast cancer treatment.

PMID:
42845740
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 08 Oct 2026.

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