Illness Representations and Quality of Life Among Informal Cancer Caregivers: Examining the Role of Social Support

Background/Objectives: The Common-Sense Model (CSM) explains the dynamic framework by which individuals understand and respond to health threats. Research utilizing the CSM highlights the importance of understanding not only patients but also informal caregivers’ cognitive schema regarding the patient’s condition, as these perceptions impact both the patient’s and the caregiver’s physical and mental health. This study examined whether informal cancer caregivers’ illness representations predict their quality of life (QoL) and whether social support moderates these relationships. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 100 caregivers using validated measures of illness perceptions (IPQ-R), QoL (SF-36), and social support (MSPSS). Results: Regression analyses showed that perceived therapy control and emotional representations significantly predicted mental health-related QoL. Illness coherence predicted physical health-related QoL. Moderation analyses indicated that social support did not moderate relationships between illness representations and QoL. Conclusions: These findings suggest that caregivers’ cognitive and emotional interpretations of the patient’s illness play an important role in their well-being, whereas social support was not a significant moderator between illness beliefs and QoL related to physical and mental health.