title: Coping styles in identifiers and nonidentifiers of a breast lump as a problem.
abstract: One hundred patients referred to a teaching hospital breast clinic for as yet undiagnosed breast masses were interviewed during their first visits and prior to assessment by a surgeon. Baseline measures of mental state and coping style were obtained. Despite the purpose of their visits, 74 of the patients were "nonidentifiers" of the breast lump as a problem on their initial contact with the clinic. All patients who were non-identifiers also used denial as a coping mechanism. Nonidentifiers used more than three times the number of avoidant coping mechanisms than "identifiers." Patients with a family history of breast cancer were more likely to be identifiers than those without a family history.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Styra
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakinofsky
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mahoney
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Colapinto
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Currie
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors