Journal Article

Long Term Posttraumatic Growth After Breast Cancer: Prevalence, Predictors and Relationships with Psychological Health

Bonnaud-Antignac, A., Lelorain, S., Florin, A.

2010

Overview

This study evaluated the prevalence and predictors of long term posttraumatic growth (PTG) after breast cancer, and relationships of PTG with psychological health in a random sample of 307 currently disease-free women 5–15 years after diagnosis. This cross-sectional study reveals long term posttraumatic growth scores comparable to those found in shorter term studies. Prevalence of a better appreciation of life is especially noteworthy. With the exception of perceived current sequelae of disease associated in a somewhat curvilinear fashion with PTG, demographic and medical variables are poor predictors of the issue. On the contrary, dispositional positive affectivity and adaptative coping of positive, active, relational, religious and to some extent denial coping have a strong effect on growth. Finally, PTG is slightly associated with mental quality of life and happiness. Findings are discussed in the light of posttraumatic growth theory.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer Nature B.V,Springer Verlag
• Subject: Adaptation, Psychological / Adult / Aged / Attitude to Health / Breast cancer / Breast Neoplasms - epidemiology / Breast Neoplasms - psychology / Cancer therapies / Coping / Cross-Sectional Studies / Disease-Free Survival / Family Medicine / Female / Follow-Up Studies / General Practice / Health Psychology / Humanities and Social Sciences / Humans / Medical diagnosis / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Mental depression / Mental health / Middle Aged / Post-traumatic growth / Predictive Value of Tests / Prevalence / Psychology / Quality of Life - psychology / Questionnaires / Research centers / Retrospective Studies / Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis / Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology / Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology / Womens health