The objective of this study was to determine whether: (a) cancer-related coping profiles change across time; (b) coping profile transition types predict changes in depressive and physical symptoms. Latent transition analysis was conducted with repeated measures of seven cancer-related coping processes from 460 women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. In multilevel models, coping profile transition groups were entered as predictors of symptoms across 12 months. Three coping profiles emerged at study entry, with two profiles at later assessments. Forty-eight percent of women maintained high-moderate approach-oriented coping over time. Specific factors (e.g., age, acceptance of emotions) differentiated the transition groups. Women who increased and then maintained high-moderate approach-oriented coping had relatively high initial depressive symptoms that declined steeply. When cancer-related acceptance predominated, women experienced increasing physical symptoms. Distinct cancer-related coping patterns are related to the level of and change in depressive and physical symptoms longitudinally. Early intervention to increase approach-oriented coping strategies could yield favorable outcomes.

本研究的目的是确定：(a) 癌症相关的应对方式是否随时间变化； (b) 应对模式转变类型预测抑郁和身体症状的变化。对 460 名最近被诊断患有乳腺癌的女性的七种癌症相关应对过程进行了重复测量，进行了潜在转变分析。在多水平模型中，输入应对模式过渡组作为 12 个月内症状的预测因子。在研究开始时出现了三种应对方式，在后来的评估中出现了两种应对方式。随着时间的推移，48% 的女性保持着高度中等的以方法为导向的应对方式。特定因素（例如年龄、情绪接受度）使过渡群体有所不同。增加并随后维持高中度以方法为导向的应对方式的女性最初的抑郁症状相对较高，但随后急剧下降。当与癌症相关的接受占主导地位时，女性会经历越来越多的身体症状。与癌症相关的独特应对模式与抑郁和身体症状的水平和变化纵向相关。早期干预以增加以方法为导向的应对策略可能会产生有利的结果。