Azlan, Haffiezhah A. and Overton, Paul G. and Simpson, Jane and Powell, Philip A. (2017) Effect of partners’ disgust responses on cancer patients’ psychological wellbeing. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 24 (3-4). pp. 355-364. ISSN 1068-9583
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore quantitatively the relationship between disgust responses in cancer patients and their partners, and in turn their relationship to patients’ psychological wellbeing. We recruited 50 participants with heterogeneous cancer diagnoses and their partners from cancer-related groups (e.g. charities). Patients completed questionnaires to determine levels of disgust propensity, disgust sensitivity, self-disgust, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Disgust propensity and sensitivity were also assessed in their partners. Partners’ disgust sensitivity was significantly positively correlated with cancer patients’ self-disgust, disgust propensity and depression. Path analyses suggested that patients’ self-disgust plays a role in mediating the effect of partners’ disgust sensitivity on patients’ psychological wellbeing. This study provides the first quantitative evidence that psychological wellbeing in cancer patients is contingent on their partners’ sensitivity to disgust, and that patients’ self-disgust plays a mediating role. Focusing therapeutically on disgust responses could well be beneficial to people with cancer.