The illness as a difficult living situation: characteristics of coping strategies of seriously ill patients’ relatives

Abstract

The specificity of coping strategies of cancer patients’ relatives with illness as a difficult living situation is considered from the standpoint of the dynamic approach. In comparison with the strategies of coping of situational patients’ relatives is obtained the following empirical evidence: a problem-oriented coping is more pronounced in relatives of cancer patients, and to a greater extent they search a social support and cooperation; the situational patients’ relatives use significantly more likely the strategies of avoidance and distraction; a difficult living situation that is involved with a serious illness of a family’s member changes recept of patient’s relatives about themselves and about their role position that mediates the use of certain coping strategies; to the maximum extent this is true for those respondents who begin to perceive their image close to the image of the doctor, using coping focused on the problem solution.