Extending the activity restriction model of depressed affect: evidence from a sample of breast cancer patients

Survey data from 95 women with Stage 1 (n = 36), Stage 2 (n = 49), or Stage 3 (n = 10) breast cancer both confirm and extend prior research indicating that restriction of normal activities is an important factor in depressed affect. Illness severity was directly related to more restricted routine activities, and more activity restriction was associated with higher public self-consciousness and less social support. Beyond the effects of age, self-consciousness, illness severity, and social support, activity restriction explained significant additional variance in symptoms of depression. Moreover, activity restriction mediated the impact of pain, public self-consciousness, and social support on depressed affect, which implies that these factors foster symptoms of depression by disrupting normal activities.