Traumatic distress and positive changes in advanced cancer patients.
This study investigated the traumatic distress and posttraumatic growth in 58 advanced cancer patients receiving palliative treatment in a Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit. The patients completed the Greek version of the Impact of Events Scale-Revised and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Statistically significant associations were found among Impact of Events Scale-Revised-Greek "Relating to Others" (r = 0.311, P = .017), "New Possibilities" ( r = 0.248, P = .050), and "Appreciation of Life" ( r = 0.419, P = .001), and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory scores (r = 0.323, P = .013). Similarly, "Appreciation of Life" correlated significantly with "Avoidance" (r = 0.318, P = .015), "Intrusion" (r = 0.365, P = .005), and "Hyperarousal" (r = 0.398, P = .002). Statistically significant associations were also found between "Relating to Others" and "Intrusion" (r = 0.414, P = .001). The study concluded that in advanced cancer patients, the higher the impact event, the more improvement in their relationships with others, enhanced life appreciation, and more positive consequences after trauma.
Mystakidou
Kyriaki
K
Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 27 Korinthias Street, 15 26 Athens, Greece. mistakidou@yahoo.com
Parpa
Efi
E
Tsilika
Eleni
E
Pathiaki
Maria
M
Galanos
Antonis
A
Vlahos
Lambros
L
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010166:Palliative Care; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires