LIFE-CHANGE PERCEPTIONS IN COGNITIVE ADAPTATION TO LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS

Perceptions of life change following threatening health-related life e vents were investigated in a questionnaire study on cancer patients wh o were compared to samples of patients with coronary heart disease aft er myocardial infarction and of relatives of cancer patients (N=185). In addition to sociodemographic and illness-related factors, subjectiv e wellbeing, personality dispositions, and coping modes were studied a s predictors of life change judgments; hopelessness and self-esteem we re assessed as indicators of emotional adjustment. The results show th at perceptions of positive change were frequent in several life domain s even in cancer patients, although negative change was predominant. T he relationships between predictors and adjustment Indicators, on one hand, and change perceptions on the other were asymmetrical with regar d to positive and negative change. In particular, positive changes wer e statistically unrelated to indicators of adjustment.