Personal growth and psychological distress in advanced breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The experience of posttraumatic growth following breast cancer, its association with psychological distress and the predictive value of psychological distress, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of cancer patients in their personal growth.


METHODS
The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and the Greek version of the Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale (G-HADS) were administered to 100 breast cancer patients. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were recorded.


RESULTS
The analysis showed that significant associations were found between PTGI-Total patients' age (p=0.001), and being married (p=0.007). Moreover, significant negative association was observed between PTGI-II ("New Possibilities") and HADS-Depression (r=-0.314, p<0.05). Multiple regression analyses showed that age is a significant predictor of PTGI-II ("New Possibilities") (p=0.005), PTGI-V ("Appreciation of Life") (p=0.0005) and PTGI-Total (p=0.037), while marital status is a significant predictor of PTGI-Total (p=0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
Specific patients' characteristics, such as young age and being with a partner, influence the experience of posttraumatic growth in breast cancer patients.
Mystakidou
Kyriaki
K
Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 27 Korinthias Street, 115 26 Athens, Greece. mystakidou@yahoo.com
Tsilika
Eleni
E
Parpa
Efi
E
Kyriakopoulos
Dimitrios
D
Malamos
Nikos
N
Damigos
Dimitrios
D
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*