Posttraumatic growth in long term breast cancer survivors: relation to coping, social support and cognitive processing

J Health Psychol. 2012 Jul;17(5):627-39. doi: 10.1177/1359105311427475. Epub 2011 Nov 18.

Abstract

Post-traumatic growth (PTG) has rarely been studied in long term breast cancer survivors using open interviews. In order to address the issue of how women integrate PTG in their overall cancer experience, 28 open interviews concerning changes after cancer were carried out with 5- to 15-year survivors. The analysis of results, performed using Alceste software, revealed one thematic class of PTG which was specific to women with high coping and social support and active cognitive processing. PTG theme appeared most often as a conclusion of interviews rather than in response to the question about changes after cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Aged
  • Breast Neoplasms / psychology*
  • Female
  • France
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life*
  • Social Support*
  • Survivors / psychology*
  • Thinking