Chemotherapy: thoughts and images of patients with cancer.
Cognitive therapists believe that an individual's emotional reaction to a stressful situation is influenced by his or her perception of that situation. This article reports the findings of a cross-sectional survey comparing thought and image patterns in patients with cancer receiving first-time chemotherapy with patients receiving subsequent treatments. The 30 patients in each sample listed their thoughts and images before, during, and after chemotherapy. In both samples, a higher percentage of positively rated self-talk units were expressed; most negative thoughts took place before the chemotherapy. Qualitative content analysis revealed that, in first-time chemotherapy recipients, the most frequently reported thought categories were questions and concerns about chemotherapy, positive evaluations of treatment, positive coping, and negative feelings. In the subsequent-treatment recipients, they were positive coping, physiologic reactions, hope, and positive evaluations of treatment. Nursing implications and future research directions also are discussed.
Manson
H
H
Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Administration Hospital, Columbia, MO.
Manderino
M A
MA
Johnson
M H
MH
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003071:Cognition; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D013850:Thinking
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents