Measuring emotional regulation and stress heterogeneity among Cancer patients: Linking latent class profiles to treatment adherence

Objective Cancer patients exhibit heterogeneous psychological responses that influence treatment adherence, yet limited evidence exists from African settings. The study aimed to identify latent emotional regulation and stress profiles among cancer patients in Ghana and examine their differences in, and associations on treatment adherence. Methods A cross-sectional, multi-center survey was conducted with 887 adult cancer patients from major oncology centers in Ghana. Standardized instruments measured cognitive emotional regulation, perceived stress, and treatment adherence. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to identify psychological subgroups, while one-way ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni tests examined adherence differences across classes. Logistic regression assessed the associations of class membership on treatment adherence. Results A four-class solution was optimal: Adaptive Regulators (28.4%), Moderate Copers (34.7%), Dysregulated High-Stress (21.6%), and Suppressed Regulators (15.3%). Significant differences in treatment adherence were observed across classes (F = 112.45, p <.001), with Adaptive Regulators reporting the highest adherence and Dysregulated High-Stress patients the lowest. Post hoc analyses confirmed significant differences between all groups, indicating a clear gradient pattern in adherence behavior. Logistic regression showed that class membership significantly linked adherence outcomes. Compared to the Dysregulated High-Stress group, Adaptive Regulators were over six times more likely to adhere to treatment (OR = 6.17, p <.001), followed by Moderate Copers (OR = 2.86, p <.001) and Suppressed Regulators (OR = 1.88, p =.001). Conclusion Cancer patients in Ghana demonstrate distinct emotional regulation and stress profiles that strongly influence treatment adherence. Findings highlight the importance of person-centered psychological assessment in oncology care and support the integration of targeted psychosocial interventions to improve adherence and clinical outcomes in resource-limited settings.