PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN WOMEN WITH BREAST-CANCER AND BENIGN BREAST PROBLEMS - A CONTROLLED COMPARISON

Comparison of psychosocial adjustment in women with breast cancer (BC) and women with benign breast problems (BBP) has been hampered by a fa ilure to control for age differences between these groups, as well as a failure to assess positive psychosocial adaptation in addition to ps ychological distress. Age-matched women with breast cancer (n = 80) an d benign breast problems (n = 80) completed measures of psychological distress, positive psychosocial adaptation, and general quality of lif e (QOL). Breast cancer patients had completed primary treatment for br east cancer a mean of 24.6 months prior to participation (range, 6-57 months). Comparison of the BC and BBP groups indicated that the BC gro up reported (1) poorer physical health and functioning, (2) no differe nces in psychological distress, and (3) greater positive psychosocial adaptation, such as improved life outlook, enhanced interpersonal rela tionships, and deeper spiritual and religious satisfaction. Results su pport the theoretical position that cancer is a transitional event, th at is, a traumatic event that alters an individual's assumptive world with the potential to produce long-lasting changes of both a positive as well as negative nature. This underscores the importance of using m easures of both psychological distress and positive psychosocial adapt ation when assessing psychological adjustment following transitional e vents such as breast cancer.