Intrusive cognitions and anxiety in cancer patients

Whitaker, Katriina L.; Brewin, Chris R.

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2008.02.009

Cited by 34 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(71 reference statements)

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“…This idea is supported by the fact that Amir & Ramati [2], who did not exclude breast cancer patients with a worse prognosis in their study, reported a higher incidence of PTSD, but it is also possible that the PTSS-10 overestimates the frequency of post-traumatic stress compared with a structured interview in accordance with DSM or ICD criteria [21,22]. Even if not all PTSD symptoms are present, stress-related symptoms such as intrusive cognitions seem to be factors which keep anxiety at a high level and prevent patients from dealing with their illness as well [36]. However, it may also be necessary for critical reconsideration of the whole concept of applying the trauma model to understand the experiences and subjective feelings of cancer patients before and during therapy [25,28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Emotional State of Patients in Radiotherapy and How They Deal with Their Disorder

et al. 2010

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Patients who had undergone stereotactic radiotherapy did not demonstrate higher values for anxiety, depression or PTS symptoms than patients treated with conventional radiotherapy. From the results submitted here it cannot be assumed that this form of treatment leads to an increased incidence of traumatic stress or even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All in all, it is the type of underlying disorder (malignant/benign), which affects the extent of psychological stress experienced by patients following radiotherapy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Emotional State of Patients in Radiotherapy and How They Deal with Their Disorder

et al. 2010

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“…More recently, Whitaker, Brewin, and Watson (2008) compared rates of intrusive images and memories in matched groups of anxious and nonanxious men with prostate cancer. Levels of anxiety were lower than in other studies conducted with psychiatric patients, and perhaps as a result, the number of intrusions was lower.…”

Section: Naturalistic Studies Of Intrusive Images and Memories In Psymentioning

confidence: 99%

Intrusive images in psychological disorders: Characteristics, neural mechanisms, and treatment implications.

Brewin¹,

Gregory²,

Lipton³

et al. 2010

Psychological Review

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987

976

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Involuntary images and visual memories are prominent in many types of psychopathology. Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, and psychosis frequently report repeated visual intrusions corresponding to a small number of real or imaginary events, usually extremely vivid, detailed, and with highly distressing content. Both memory and imagery appear to rely on common networks involving medial prefrontal regions, posterior regions in the medial and lateral parietal cortices, the lateral temporal cortex, and the medial temporal lobe. Evidence from cognitive psychology and neuroscience implies distinct neural bases to abstract, flexible, contextualized representations (C-reps) and to inflexible, sensory-bound representations (S-reps). We revise our previous dual representation theory of posttraumatic stress disorder to place it within a neural systems model of healthy memory and imagery. The revised model is used to explain how the different types of distressing visual intrusions associated with clinical disorders arise, in terms of the need for correct interaction between the neural systems supporting S-reps and C-reps via visuospatial working memory. Finally, we discuss the treatment implications of the new model and relate it to existing forms of psychological therapy.

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“…Some research suggests that avoidance also predicts cancer progression (Chida, Hamer, Wardel, & Steptoe, 2008;Epping-Jordan et al, 1994). Avoidance and intrusions also have been suggested as risk factors for psychopathology in women with breast cancer (e.g., anxiety, depression, PTSD; Brewin et al, 1998;Cordova et al, 1995;Whitaker, Brewin, & Watson, 2008). Given the deleterious outcomes associated with intrusions and avoidance, understanding how they are maintained during the first year following a breast cancer diagnosis is important.…”

Section: What Does This Study Add?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Stuck in the spin cycle: Avoidance and intrusions following breast cancer diagnosis

Bauer

Wiley

Weihs

et al. 2017

British J Health Psychol

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These findings provide empirical support for the theoretical contention that avoidance and intrusive thoughts and emotions reciprocally influence one another following stressful events. Additionally, in the months shortly after breast cancer diagnosis, intrusions and avoidance are positively related. However, the relationships attenuate over time, which could indicate resolved cognitive and emotional processing of the cancer experience. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Following stressful life events, individuals often experience intrusive thoughts and feelings related to the event and they report avoidance of such reminders. Many studies demonstrate that greater intrusions predict more subsequent use of avoidance coping, and other studies show that greater use of avoidance predicts more intrusions. Their reciprocal relation has not been examined, however. What does this study add? This is the first examination of the concurrent, reciprocal influence of intrusions and avoidance. Findings suggest that accounting for the bidirectional influence of avoidance and intrusions best estimates hypothesized models. Higher intrusions and avoidance predicted each other for the first 3 months after study entry, but the relationship diminished 6 months after study entry, perhaps due to productive mental processing of the stress of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

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Intrusive cognitions and anxiety in cancer patients

Cited by 34 publications

References 43 publications

Emotional State of Patients in Radiotherapy and How They Deal with Their Disorder

Emotional State of Patients in Radiotherapy and How They Deal with Their Disorder

Intrusive images in psychological disorders: Characteristics, neural mechanisms, and treatment implications.

Stuck in the spin cycle: Avoidance and intrusions following breast cancer diagnosis

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