Psychological response to cancer diagnosis — II. Evidence for coping styles (coping styles and cancer diagnosis)

doi:10.1016/0022-3999(88)90067-0

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Volume 32, Issue 3, 1988, Pages 263-272

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(88)90067-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

One hundred and seventy-eight newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer, non-Hodgkin's or Hodgkin's lymphoma were studied with respect to their cognitive responses to cancer diagnosis. These were examined in relation to anxiety, depression and health locus of control as well as to clinicol-pathological variables. Data analysis of cognitive responses alone did not confirm the existence of mutually exclusive categories of response. Analysis of cognitive responses and the other psychological variables combined, however, revealed that four broad coping ‘styles’ could be delineated: ‘positive/confronting’, ‘fatalistic’, ‘hopeless-helpless’ and ‘denial/avoidance’, which corresponded to our previously described categories. Lower psychological morbidity was associated with a positive/confronting response to diagnosis and with high internal locus of control, while higher anxiety and depression scores were associated with a hopeless-helpless response to diagnosis and with low internal locus of control. The evidence for coping ‘styles’ is discussed as well as the implications of the results for the psychological management of cancer patients.

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Psychological response to cancer diagnosis — II. Evidence for coping styles (coping styles and cancer diagnosis)

Abstract

Lancet

Lancet

J Psychosom Res

Soc Sci Med

Vulnerability in cancer patients

Psychological coping mechanisms and survival time in metastatic breast cancer

J Am Med Ass

Psychological factors in the prognosis of malignant melanoma: a prospective study

Psychosom Med

Psychological correlates of survival in advanced malignant disease?

New Engl J Med

Psychological adjustment to having cutaneous malignant melanoma as a predictor of follow-up clinical status

Physical illness, the individual and the coping process

Psychiat Med

Coping with the stress of illness