does depression decrease the moderating effect of selfefficacy in the relationship between illness perception and fear of progression in breast cancer objective fear of progression fop is a prevalent concern among breast cancer patients that affect their adjustment to disease this study examined whether selfefficacy moderates the effect of illness perception ip on fop and whether the moderating effect of selfefficacy depends on the level of depressive symptomsmethods a crosssectional survey including brief illness perception questionnaire bipq fop short form general selfefficacy scale and the center for epidemiologic studies depression scale were administered to 245 patients with breast cancer in korearesults selfefficacy moderated the negative impact of the patients perception of chronic timeline and a greater emotional impact of the illness on fop however the moderating effect of selfefficacy of the bipq timeline and emotions on fop depended on level of depressive symptomsconclusions the findings underscore the importance of considering the ip as determinants of fop as well as of selfefficacy and depression as the moderating factors in the relationship between ip and fop suggesting the need to enhance selfefficacy and depressive symptoms in order to compensate the negative impact of ip on fop in breast cancer patients