Holding back moderates the association between health symptoms and social well-being in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Context: Holding back, or withholding discussion of disease-related thoughts and emotions, is associated with negative outcomes including lower quality of life, diminished well-being, and relational distress. For patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the degree to which one holds back from discussing illness-related concerns may be an important determinant of social well-being and health; however, this has not been systematically assessed in this population.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to assess the moderating effects of holding back discussion of disease-related concerns on the relationship between health-related symptoms and social well-being in adult patients undergoing HSCT.