ANTICIPATORY ANXIETY IN WOMEN RECEIVING CHEMOTHERAPY FOR BREAST-CANCER

This study examined (a) the prevalence and course of anxiety before th e lst 6 infusions of cancer chemotherapy and (b) the contribution of t rait anxiety, side effect expectations, and prior occurrence of posttr eatment side effects to anxiety before infusions. Fifty-three women re ceiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer participated. Anxiety was most prevalent and intense before the 1st infusion. Trait anxiety predicted anxiety before both the lst and subsequent infusions. Prior occurrence of posttreatment nervousness also predicted anxiety before subsequent infusions, even after accounting for trait anxiety and othe r posttreatment side effects. Results are discussed in terms of the ro le that anxiety proneness, response expectancy, and classical conditio ning may play in the development of anxiety before repeated chemothera py infusions.