EFFECTS OF COPING STYLE ON PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTIONS OF LOW-INCOME, MINORITY WOMEN TO COLPOSCOPY

Patterns of coping and adjustment in 36 low-income, minority women wit h positive cytologic smears were assessed prior to diagnostic follow-u p examination (colposcopy). Subjects were divided into high monitors ( who attend to threatening cues) and low monitors (who avoid threatenin g cues) on the basis of their scores on the Miller Behavioral Style Sc ale, a well-validated measure of coping style. Multivariate analysis o f variance showed that high monitors worried more about the seriousnes s of their condition, expressed more concern about the immediate senso ry and procedural aspects of the diagnostic examination and felt more responsible for the onset and course of their disease as compared to l ow monitors. However, they were no more likely to be concerned about t he overall importance or long-term consequences of their abnormal smea rs. Finally, high monitors displayed greater symptoms of intrusive and avoidant ideation in relation to their medical status. These results were independent of sociodemographic and medical confounding variables . Consistent with results in other populations, the findings suggest t hat it may be useful to assess attentional coping dispositions in mino rity populations with high-risk gynecologic conditions and to target p sychosocial interventions accordingly.