Supplementary file 1_Psychological capital in cancer patients and family caregivers: determinants, measurement, outcomes, and intervention strategies.docx

The evidence suggests that composite PsyCap, as well as its individual component resources (resilience, hope, optimism, and self-efficacy), are associated with psychological adjustment, coping, self-management, and quality of life among cancer patients, while similar associations have been reported among caregivers. PsyCap appears to be influenced by multiple clinical and contextual factors, including symptom burden, treatment demands, uncertainty, financial stress, and caregiving responsibilities.

Direct measurement of PsyCap as a higher-order construct remains relatively uncommon, and caregiver-focused and dyadic assessments are limited. Intervention studies indicate that mindfulness-based programs, positive psychological interventions informed by the PERMA model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment), exercise and body–mind practices, and dyadic or family-based approaches may strengthen PsyCap-related resources and improve psychosocial outcomes.

However, most interventions have not explicitly evaluated PsyCap as a primary outcome.</p>Conclusion<p>PsyCap provides a useful framework for understanding positive psychological adaptation in cancer care. Existing evidence suggests that PsyCap may represent a modifiable target for supportive oncology interventions and may operate at both individual and relational levels. Future research should prioritize oncology-specific measurement approaches, longitudinal investigations, caregiver and dyadic research, and rigorously designed intervention studies that directly assess PsyCap outcomes.</p>