Experiential Avoidance and coping styles in the development of psychological distress in patients with cancer

Background: The aim of this study is to test the mediational role of Experiential Avoidance (EA) to explain the relation of coping styles with anxiety and depression symptomatology in patients with cancer. Methods. 50 patients with cancer (82% females; Mean age=50.7, SD=10.7, range=24-70) participated in the study. Patients completed: the Acceptance-and-Action-Questionnaire, the Mini-Mental-Adjustment-to-Cancer, and the Hospital-Anxiety-Depression-Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Findings: EA completely mediates the effect of Cognitive Avoidance (CA) on anxiety scores. The results do not however support the mediational model for the Anxious Preoccupation (AP) style. Secondary analyses suggest that AP mediates the effect of EA on both anxiety and depression scores. Conclusions: Findings suggest that interventions to prevent psychological distress might be oriented to prevent CA as having adverse effects, such as the development of a more generalized class of avoidance (EA), which in turn might elicit AP.