CAUSAL ATTRIBUTION AND COPING WITH THE DI SEASE IN BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS - RESULTS OF A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

The present 3-year longitudinal study investigated the relationship be tween causal attribution and coping mechanism. Data were collected in a group of 66 breast cancer patients by self-report questionnaires. Th ree issues were addressed: 1. How do the patients explain the cause of their illness? 2. Do the subjective causes change over the course of three years? 3. What kind of relationship can be found between the cau sal attributions and the coping mechanism of the patients? Results sho wed a predominance of psychological attribution. Only little statistic al prove could be found for changes between the four ratings. Analysin g the individual data of the patients however revealed changing percep tions for about half the patients. A relationship between psychologica l attribution and depressive coping and problem solving as well were f ound.