Abstract
PURPOSE: Emotional expression conflicts, characterized by approach-avoidance dilemmas in self-disclosure, are prevalent among breast cancer patients undergoing postoperative chemotherapy. This study identifies emotional expression conflict subtypes and their predictors to inform targeted interventions. METHODS: This cross-sectional study employed convenience sampling to recruit 238 postoperative breast cancer patients. The assessment protocol comprised three validated instruments: the Ambivalence over Emotional Expressiveness Questionnaire-G28 for emotional conflict evaluation, the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire for cognitive assessment, and the Family Resilience Assessment Scale for family dynamics measurement. Latent profile analysis was conducted to characterize distinct emotional expression conflict subtypes, with subsequent multivariate logistic regression modeling to identify significant predictors. RESULTS: Three distinct emotional expression conflict profiles emerged: (a) Low conflict-emotion expression (33.6%): Proactive emotional sharing with minimal ambivalence. (b) Medium conflict-emotion expression (42.4%): Context-dependent disclosure with moderate ambivalence. (c) High conflict-expression blocked (23.9%): Suppression-dominated behavior with severe ambivalence. Younger age, lower education, reduced income, poor sleep quality, and higher cognitive fusion significantly increased the likelihood of high emotional conflict. Conversely, stronger family resilience was associated with reduced conflict risk. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the clinical significance of heterogeneity in emotional expression conflicts among breast cancer patients. By targeting modifiable factors (such as sleep quality, cognitive fusion), oncology nursing may advance personalized psychosocial support to address these conflicts. Such strategies demonstrate global applicability for effectively alleviating patient distress and enhancing patient-centered care outcomes.