Psychopathological symptoms (manifestations of distress, anxiety, depression and somatization) in the closest relatives of patients with blood cancer: clinical-dynamic aspect

Objective: to study psychogenic mental disorders characterized by manifestations of distress, anxiety, depression and somatization in the closest relatives of patients with blood cancer in the clinical-dynamic aspect. Materials and Methods. Based on the Blood Cancer Department of the First Republican Clinical Hospital (Izhevsk), the longitudinal study was carried out in the closest relatives of cancer patients diagnosed with acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia. The study sample included men and women aged 18-65 years. The study was carried out at three points in the time interval: debut, 3 and 6 months. Codependent relationships in families were studied according to the degree of relationship: along the horizontal and vertical first line. Psychopathological symptoms of the borderline level caused by trauma in relatives were assessed using a four-dimensional questionnaire to evaluate distress, depression, anxiety, and somatization (4DSQ). Results and Discussion. The presence of a malignant disease in a relative appeared to be a significant negative event for the nearest and was a factor in the disturbance of the psychoemotional state, which often lead to manifestations of depression, anxiety, guilt and helplessness in the current crisis reality. Increasing tension as a result of stress in connection with the potentially dangerous illness predetermined emotional and psychological disorganization, leading to maladaptive pathological processes in relatives of cancer patients, deterioration of their mental health. The study allowed us to assess the impact of a psychogenic factor in the form of a malignant disease in a family member on the development and dynamics of psychopathological symptoms in close relatives. In the studied sample of close relatives, the high incidence of basic symptom complexes was revealed: distress (n=33, 35.8%), somatization (n=18, 19%); depression (n=18, 19.5%). It was found that due to the external and internal resources of the personality, the adaptive process contributed to the recovery of the mental state of relatives by month 6th of the treatment. The most intensive recovery occurred in the first three months, which indicated the effectiveness of the functioning of psychological defenses to enhance the compensatory anti-stress mechanisms of higher nervous activity in the medium-term perspective and the need for early intervention tactics