The Mediating Roles of Self‐Disclosure and Social Support in the Relationship Between Self‐Perceived Burden and Benefit Finding Among Postoperative Colorectal Cancer Patients

AIM: To explore the mediating roles of social support and self-disclosure in the association between self-perceived burden and benefit finding among postoperative colorectal cancer patients and to provide evidence that may inform nursing practice. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study. METHODS: From November 2023 to June 2024, 165 patients who had undergone colorectal cancer surgery were recruited from a Class III Grade A hospital in China using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Benefit Finding Scale, Self-Perceived Burden Scale, Social Support Rating Scale, and The Distress Disclosure Index Scale. Correlation analysis and mediation effect tests were conducted. RESULTS: Benefit finding was negatively correlated with self-perceived burden (r = -0.687, p < 0.01) and positively correlated with self-disclosure and social support (r = 0.712, 0.696, p < 0.01). Self-perceived burden is associated with benefit finding through three mediating pathways: the mediating effect of social support was -0.193 (28.2% of the total effect); the mediating effect of self-disclosure was -0.153 (22.3%); and the chain mediating effect of social support and self-disclosure was -0.049 (7.1%). PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No Patient or Public Contribution. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: This study suggests that assessment of self-perceived burden may be considered as part of routine nursing assessment for postoperative colorectal cancer patients. Interventions aimed at enhancing social support and encouraging self-disclosure may be worthy of further investigation, as these factors were associated with higher levels of benefit finding in this study.