Familial and psychological predictors of cancer.
The hypothesis that the quality of human relationships is a component in the development of cancer was investigated in a prospective study of former medical students. Findings from two psychological measures are presented: the Closeness to Parents Scale, which showed that students who subsequently developed cancer were more likely to describe a lack of closeness with their parents than their healthy classmates; and the Rorschach Interaction Scale, which demonstrated less satisfactory relationships among male cancer victims as contrasted with the rest of the cohort. The findings suggest that internal self-other representations, as measured by these two tests, are involved as regulators of biologic systems and manifestations of illness, such as cancer.
Graves
P L
PL
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Thomas
C B
CB
Mead
L A
LA
D001290:Attitude; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012392:Rorschach Test; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires