Abstract
Cancer represents a public health problem worldwide and is the leading cause of death. Although it is considered a chronic-degenerative condition, the sudden changes that it brings with it impact patients and couples alike, although in a differential way. The impact, adaptation and successful improvement of the condition depends not only on the circumstances associated with the disease, but also on a series of external factors which are related on the one hand to the individual characteristics of the members, specifically those that guide the behaviors , to the understanding of feelings, thoughts and reactions (empathy), as well as to the care, appreciation and respect for the partner (compassionate love), and finally those related to the integration of the condition into their lives, favoring positive evaluations of the sense of the life (subjective well-being) and adaptive coping (resilience). Based on the above, the objectives of this research consisted of: identifying how the empathy and compassionate love of the partners of cancer patients affect the subjective well-being and the resilience of the latter, and vice versa. Some of the most outstanding results show that expressions of understanding, support and acceptance integrate the structure, nature and interaction of couple relationships. Likewise, and contrary to the literature, the cancer patient plays a more active role on the well-being of his partner than the latter. Which is favored mainly by empathy and compassionate love, elements that contribute to a better state of health and love satisfaction. Added to this, they favor feelings of worth, strength and certainty of having the resources to be able to face the future with optimism. Which together, makes it possible for the patient to be aware, not only of their own abilities and skills in the attention and care they provide to their partner, but also of the value and gratitude that they experience when jointly facing their condition.
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