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Self-Efficacy Affects Cancer Patients in Solving Problems, Seeking Support and Avoiding Problems as Coping Mechanisms

*Yesiana Dwi Wahyu Werdani orcid  -  Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya, Indonesia
Pascalis Arief Ardiansyah Silab  -  Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya, Indonesia
Open Access Copyright (c) 2020 Nurse Media Journal of Nursing
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Background: Cancer is a disease that causes various physical and mental problems. Being diagnosed with cancer affects the self-efficacy and behavior of individuals to choose a coping mechanism in facing the problem.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effect of self-efficacy on solving problems, seeking support, and avoiding problems as coping mechanisms in cancer patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 45 cancer patients selected using a total sampling technique from two public health centers in Surabaya, Indonesia. Data were collected using the General Self-Efficacy Scale and Coping Strategy Indicator, and analyzed using the Shapiro Wilk for data normality, and linear regression to determine the effects of self-efficacy on solving problems, seeking support, and avoiding problems with p< 0.05.  

Results: The results showed the participants’ rate of self-efficacy levels (M=3.26), and coping mechanism levels in solving problems (M=3.46), seeking support (M=2.88), and avoiding problems (M=3.27), as well as mean scores of self-efficacy (32.6±3.8), solving problems (34.6±3.8), seeking support (31.8±3.7), and avoiding problems (32.7±3.2). Based on the linear regression test, there was a significant effect self-efficacy on solving problems (p<0.001; R2=0.97), seeking support (p<0.001; R2=0.98), and avoiding problems (p<0.001; R2=0.98) as coping mechanisms.  

Conclusion: Cancer patients who had high self-efficacy scores would choose solving problems and seeking support as the coping mechanisms, but those with lower scores on self-efficacy prefer to avoid the problems.

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Keywords: Avoiding problems; seeking support; self-efficacy; solving problems
Funding: Pascalis Arief Ardiansyah Silab, Faculty of Nursing Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya Indonesia; Pucang Sewu Community Health Center; Pacar Keling Community Health Center

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