Latent profiles of ambivalence over emotional expression in young breast cancer patients: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to classify young breast cancer patients into distinct ambivalence over emotional expression and to explore the factors influencing the level of ambivalence over emotional expression.

Methods

A total of 217 young breast cancer patients were enrolled from a tertiary Grade A oncology hospital in Tianjin, China, using the convenience sampling method. All participants completed the general questionnaire, Ambivalence over Emotion Expression Questionnaire (AEQ), and Family Adapt-Ability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-Chinese Version (FACES-CV). We employed exploratory latent profile analysis for ambivalence over emotional expression profiling and logistic regression analysis to identify the influential factors

Results

The results of the latent profile analysis supported the models of four latent profiles, which were defined as “low conflict-low expression reflection” (19.2 %), “high conflict-high inhibition expression” (43.9 %), “moderate conflict-high regret expression” (18.1 %), and “moderate conflict-desire understand” (18.8 %). Logistic regression revealed that family cohesion, marital status, residence, per capita monthly income, and cancer stage were the influencing factors of ambivalence over emotional expression in young breast cancer patients (P < 0.05)

Conclusions

Levels of ambivalence over emotional expression ameast cancer patients with breast cancer were highly heterogeneous. Medical staff should provide psychological counseling and health education tailored to the unique characteristics of emotional expression ambivalence in different patient groups to promote healthy emotional expression among patients.