Abstract
Recent investigations have shown increased disease progression among breast cancer patients with a “repressive” coping style characterized as: passive, conforming, inclined to deny physical symptoms and emotionally unexpressive. The Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) scales which delineate three discrete repressive coping styles include the: Introversive, Cooperative and Respectful. Forty-four women recently diagnosed (within four weeks) with non-metastatic (N = 32) or metastatic (N = 12) breast carcinoma, responded to the MBHI upon admission for treatment of their disease at a cancer treatment unit. All subjects received mastectomy as well as chemotherapy, radiation and/or endocrine therapy. These 44 cancer patients were compared to 34 control subjects, comprising women who were seen at a colposcopy clinic for follow-up of a suspicious pap smear which was ultimately shown to be benign or consisted of mild dysplasia. Non-metastatic, metastatic and control subjects were compared with respect to coping style and psychological distress. The breast cancer patients were more likely to employ a repressive coping style as compared to non-cancer patients who utilized a “sensitizing” coping strategy predominantly. Cancer patients with the most severe prognosis (metastasis) were the only group within the study to attain a clinically significant mean base rate score on the respectful scale. Results suggest that the incidence of repressive coping styles may be disproportionately high among breast cancer patients.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 245-258 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Psychology and Health |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 1 1989 |
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Keywords
- breast cancer
- MBHI psychological distress
- metastasis
- Repressive coping style
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Applied Psychology
Cite this
The distribution of repressive coping styles among non-metastatic and metastatic breast cancer patients as compared to non-cancer patients. / Goldstein, David A.; Antoni, Michael H.
In: Psychology and Health, Vol. 3, No. 4, 01.10.1989, p. 245-258.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The distribution of repressive coping styles among non-metastatic and metastatic breast cancer patients as compared to non-cancer patients
AU - Goldstein, David A.
AU - Antoni, Michael H
PY - 1989/10/1
Y1 - 1989/10/1
N2 - Recent investigations have shown increased disease progression among breast cancer patients with a “repressive” coping style characterized as: passive, conforming, inclined to deny physical symptoms and emotionally unexpressive. The Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) scales which delineate three discrete repressive coping styles include the: Introversive, Cooperative and Respectful. Forty-four women recently diagnosed (within four weeks) with non-metastatic (N = 32) or metastatic (N = 12) breast carcinoma, responded to the MBHI upon admission for treatment of their disease at a cancer treatment unit. All subjects received mastectomy as well as chemotherapy, radiation and/or endocrine therapy. These 44 cancer patients were compared to 34 control subjects, comprising women who were seen at a colposcopy clinic for follow-up of a suspicious pap smear which was ultimately shown to be benign or consisted of mild dysplasia. Non-metastatic, metastatic and control subjects were compared with respect to coping style and psychological distress. The breast cancer patients were more likely to employ a repressive coping style as compared to non-cancer patients who utilized a “sensitizing” coping strategy predominantly. Cancer patients with the most severe prognosis (metastasis) were the only group within the study to attain a clinically significant mean base rate score on the respectful scale. Results suggest that the incidence of repressive coping styles may be disproportionately high among breast cancer patients.
AB - Recent investigations have shown increased disease progression among breast cancer patients with a “repressive” coping style characterized as: passive, conforming, inclined to deny physical symptoms and emotionally unexpressive. The Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) scales which delineate three discrete repressive coping styles include the: Introversive, Cooperative and Respectful. Forty-four women recently diagnosed (within four weeks) with non-metastatic (N = 32) or metastatic (N = 12) breast carcinoma, responded to the MBHI upon admission for treatment of their disease at a cancer treatment unit. All subjects received mastectomy as well as chemotherapy, radiation and/or endocrine therapy. These 44 cancer patients were compared to 34 control subjects, comprising women who were seen at a colposcopy clinic for follow-up of a suspicious pap smear which was ultimately shown to be benign or consisted of mild dysplasia. Non-metastatic, metastatic and control subjects were compared with respect to coping style and psychological distress. The breast cancer patients were more likely to employ a repressive coping style as compared to non-cancer patients who utilized a “sensitizing” coping strategy predominantly. Cancer patients with the most severe prognosis (metastasis) were the only group within the study to attain a clinically significant mean base rate score on the respectful scale. Results suggest that the incidence of repressive coping styles may be disproportionately high among breast cancer patients.
KW - breast cancer
KW - MBHI psychological distress
KW - metastasis
KW - Repressive coping style
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84963166024&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84963166024&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/08870448908400384
DO - 10.1080/08870448908400384
M3 - Article
VL - 3
SP - 245
EP - 258
JO - Psychology and Health
JF - Psychology and Health
SN - 0887-0446
IS - 4
ER -