PREDICTORS OF INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS AND AVOIDANCE IN WOMEN WITH FAMILY HISTORIES OF BREAST-CANCER

Having a family history of cancer is an important predictor of lifetim e cancer risk. Individuals with family histories of cancer have been r eported to experience symptoms of general distress and to have frequen t intrusive thoughts and avoidance regarding cancel: To date, little i s known about predictors of such distress. A relation between percepti on of cancer risk and distress has been suggested, bur the possibility that prior cancer-related events may contribute to distress in these women has received little attention. The major aim of the study was to examine the contribution of the past experience of the death of a par ent from cancer to distress in women at familiar risk for breast cance l:Women with family histories of breast cancer (Risk Group, N = 46) we re assessed on the day of their yearly mammography screening and four to eight weeks after normal result notification in order to confirm th e generalizability of their distress. Their levels of intrusive though ts, avoidance, and perceived lifetime risk for breast cancer were sign ificantly higher than those of women with no family histories of cance r who were nor undergoing mammography (Comparison Group, N = 43), and this was true on both assessment days. Among the women in the Risk Gro up, those whose parent(s) had died of cancer had the highest levels of intrusive thoughts, avoidance, and perceived risk Results suggested t hat perceived risk mediated the effect of this event on intrusive thou ghts and avoidance regarding breast cancer. The findings are discussed in terms of theories of cognitive responses to traumatic and stressfu l life events. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.