Anxiety, emotional suppression, and psychological distress before and after breast cancer diagnosis.
The authors examined the influence of anxiety and emotional suppression on psychological distress in 21 patients with breast cancer and 72 patients with benign breast tumor. The patients with breast cancer who suppressed emotion and had chronically high levels of anxiety felt higher levels of emotional distress both before and after the diagnosis. Such patients need psychological interventions, including encouragement to express and communicate their emotions, immediately after disclosure of the diagnosis to help maintain psychological adjustment in the face of the disease.
Iwamitsu
Yumi
Y
Department of Medical Psychology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Kanagawa, Japan. iyumi@kitasato-u.ac.jp
Shimoda
Kazutaka
K
Abe
Hajime
H
Tani
Tohru
T
Okawa
Masako
M
Buck
Ross
R
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D047688:Breast Cyst / Q000523:psychology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008347:Manifest Anxiety Scale; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012094:Repression, Psychology; D012803:Sick Role