Family resilience and its determinants in postoperative colorectal cancer patients: a single-centre cross-sectional study at a tertiary colorectal cancer centre

This cross-sectional observational study investigated family resilience among postoperative colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and explored associated factors. A total of 200 patients who underwent curative-intent surgery at a tertiary cancer hospital in China between January 2021 and June 2024 were recruited via convenience sampling. Family resilience, the primary outcome, was measured using the shortened Chinese version of the Family Resilience Assessment Scale (FRAS-C). Sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables - including coping style, symptom-management self-efficacy, family function, and social support - were assessed as explanatory factors. Univariate analysis identified variables significantly associated with family resilience, which were then entered into multiple linear regression to determine independent predictors. The mean FRAS-C score was 86.81 ± 16.25, indicating a moderate level of family resilience. Higher household income, greater use of confronting coping strategies, stronger symptom-management self-efficacy, and better family function were independently associated with higher resilience, explaining 42.6% of the variance. These findings highlight that both economic resources and adaptive psychosocial capacities contribute to family resilience. Interventions targeting financially vulnerable patients, promoting adaptive coping, and enhancing family support may improve resilience and facilitate postoperative recovery. Given the cross-sectional design, results indicate associations rather than causality.