Impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on adult children's cognitive and emotional coherence.
The current study examined whether adult children of recently diagnosed breast cancer patients experience heightened general and major stressor-related distress, and identified a potential mediator between these two forms of distress. Unique from other stress studies, the current study proposed a novel intrapsychic construct, the extent to which one understands and recognizes his or her thoughts and feelings related to a major stressor, for which we coined the term cognitive and emotional coherence. Albeit preliminary, findings supported study hypotheses and argue that this construct may represent an important mediator of distress as well as a pivotal target for psychosocial intervention.
Garofalo
John P
JP
Departmentof Psychology, Washington State University Vancouver, WA 98686-9600, USA. garofalo@vancouver.wsu.edu
Soliday
Elizabeth
E
Cole
Brenda
B
Dawson
Erica
E
Henderson
Brent N
BN
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D004644:Emotions; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D006854:Hydrocortisone