title: Personal growth and psychological distress in advanced breast cancer.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mystakidou
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsilika
authors.forename: Efi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parpa
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kyriakopoulos
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malamos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Damigos
mesh_terms: 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*