title: The effect of psychological intervention on personality change, coping, and psychological distress of Japanese primary breast cancer patients.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to estimate the effectiveness of psychological intervention on personality change, enhancing perceived emotional support, and, ultimately, assisting in the adaptive coping and psychological well-being of Japanese primary breast cancer patients. The intervention consists of 3 sessions that include providing medical and psychological information and counseling using the structured association technique. The participants were 28 primary breast cancer patients (14 for the experimental group and 14 for the control group). Participants were assessed at 3 to 4 days after surgery (preintervention) and 3 months (postintervention) and 6 months (follow-up) after discharge using 5 scales: the self-repression scale, the Japanese version of the self-esteem scale, the emotional support scale, the Japanese version of the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, and the Japanese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The intervention seemed to have enhanced the short-term personality change, adaptive coping, and psychological well-being of primary breast cancer patients. However, further trials will be needed with larger samples to corroborate the findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Care Science, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan. maedatakako@gmail.com
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.forename: Isamu
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morishima
authors.forename: Tsunetsugu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Munakata
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires