title: The relationship between emotional suppression and psychological distress in breast cancer patients after surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional suppression and psychological distress in breast cancer patients after surgery. We examined this relationship using questionnaires at the first visit to the breast cancer outpatient clinic at our hospital and after surgery, as well as interviews after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 31 breast cancer patients were asked to complete the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale and the Profile of Mood States at their first visit to the outpatient clinic. Patients were also asked to complete the Profile of Mood States between 1 and 6 months after surgery. Trained clinical psychologists conducted the interviews, asking patients to speak freely about their current anxieties, worries and thoughts. Based on the median Courtauld Emotional Control Scale score of 42 points, participants were divided into emotional suppression and emotional expression groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Total Mood Disturbance score, as well as each of the subscale (except vigor) scores of the Profile of Mood States, were significantly higher in the emotional suppression group than the emotional expression group. The emotional suppression group expressed significantly more negative emotions and fewer positive emotions than the emotional expression group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with emotional suppression felt and expressed more psychological distress after surgery. This finding highlights the need for medical staff to comprehend the psychological traits of breast cancer patients, including emotional suppression, in the early stages of breast cancer in order to provide adequate psychological support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Kitasato University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Sagamihara mm13026b@st.kitasato-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Kitasato University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Sagamihara.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwamitsu
authors.affiliation: Yamato Municipal Hospital, Yamato.
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuranami
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Kitasato University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Sagamihara Higashiyamato General Hospital, Higashiyamato.
authors.forename: Shigemi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Kitasato University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Sagamihara.
authors.forename: Hiroe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shikanai
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tokai University, School of Medicine, Isehara.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Sagamihara.
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyaoka
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: breast cancer; emotional suppression; interview; post-operative treatments; psychological distress