BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer is the most common and the most influential type of cancer in women, which causes deep excitement and severe emotional problems. Considering the increase in survival rates, patients with breast cancer continue to live longer with this disease and its complications and stresses, compared with patients with other types of cancer, which may affect the psychological well-being of this group of patients. This study was conducted to determine the psychological well-being of women with breast cancer and its relationship with emotional intelligence.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 90 women with breast cancer who referred for treatment or counseling to one of the hospitals of Shahid Rajaee in Babolsar, Ayatollah Rohani in Babol and the Cancer Counseling and Screening Center in Babol, using convenience sampling. In addition to demographic questions, Bradberry & Greaves's Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (possible range = 0 – 140) and Ryff's Psychological Well-being Scale (possible range = 0–108) were completed.
FINDINGS: The mean age of the participants was 45.98 ± 9.74 with an age range of 24 – 70 years. The mean score of psychological well-being was 75.01±12.10 and the mean score of emotional intelligence was 77.14 ± 19.53 and psychological well-being had a significant relationship with emotional intelligence (r = 0.45, p<0.001). The results showed that emotional intelligence explains and predicts 20% of psychological well-being changes (β = 0.48). Among the demographic characteristics, only the relationship between education and psychological well-being was significant (r = 0.18, p = 0.070).
CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that emotional intelligence of women with breast cancer predicts a part of their psychological well-being.