Predicting Posttraumatic Growth Based on Coping Strategies in Women and Men Involving with Advanced Cancer

Abstract

Background: Lots of research has been dedicated to negative consequences of cancer, but few probably studied personal growth and self-enhancement and its related variables after experiencing this disease. The aim of this research was to predict posttraumatic growth based on coping strategies and gender in patients with cancer.Methods: Using a correlational method and a questionnaire tool, 120 patients (65 females and 55 males, mean age 47 ± 14.72) were selected among hospitalized patients in Firouzgar, Ayatollah Taleghani and Rasoul Akram hospitals in Tehran. They completed post traumatic growth inventory (PTGI) and coping responses inventory (CRI). Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, correlation tests and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis by SPSS version 20. Results: Findings indicated that among problem-oriented coping strategies, cognitive assessment and seeking social support explains 53% of PTG changes (P < 0.001). However, emotion-oriented strategies, including emotional inhibition and somatic inhibition, had no significant relation with PTG. The regression model also revealed that more use of problem-oriented strategies can predict more PTG rate. The results of the t-test showed that there was no significant difference between men and women regarding the PTG score and coping strategies application (P > 0.05). Conclusions:Results showed that problem-oriented strategies especially re-evaluation can support the patients to strive to reconceptualize their experience and make it easier to deal with. In this regard, clinical interventions such as training problemfocused coping skills and facilitating measures to provide social support may also be helpful.Keywords: Cancer, Coping Strategies, Posttraumatic Growth, Gender BackgroundCancer is a major medical problem with more than 200 types regarded as one of the leading causes of death in Iran so that it takes the lives of 205 men and 300 women every year (1). Diagnosis of cancer, added to disrupting normal flow of lives of the patients and changing their social roles and relationships can create unexpected challenges in core beliefs about oneself and the whole world (2). Its return may be marked with high levels of turbulence, sadness, fear, and existential crises (3).In spite of many researches dedicated to negative consequences of cancer, some findings indicate that experiencing pain in some traumatic events may be associated with better feeling and wider perception about personal growth; these positive psychological changes are known as post-traumatic growth (PTG) or cognitive-existential development (4). For instance, Barakat et al. (5) conducted a research on 150 patients with cancer and reported 85% personal growth followed by positive changes during cancer treatment process; experience that was reported by patients with different types of cancer such as bone marrow, lung, colon, testicular and prostate. In a cross-sectional study on patients with breast cancer (stage 0 -3), the time elapsed since diagnosis was a strong ...

Adjustment Mechanisms in the Acute Phase of Myocardial Infarction in Men

“…Clinical data analyses in the past in various stressful conditions have shown a positive relation between coping and posttraumatic growth (Akbar & Witruk, 2016; Baghjari et al, 2017; Garcia, et al, 2016; Garnefski et al, 2008; Kunz et al, 2018; Lechner et al, 2006; Rajandram et al, 2011; Schroevers et al, 2011; Senol-Durak & Ayvasik, 2010), confirming our results. The difference in the strategies used by the two groups, can be explained by the hypothesis that, in group A, the patients with a worse prognosis applied both behavioral and cognitive ways to change and find growth.…”

Posttraumatic Growth in Postlingually Deaf Patients With Cochlear Implants: The Effect of Stress-Coping Strategies, Sociodemographics, and Deafness-Related Factors

“…Research has uncovered strong associations between PTG and health levels, treatment and recovery paths, and attitudes to life (Cordova et al, 2001;Barskova and Oesterreich, 2009;Bostock et al, 2009;Calhoun and Tedeschi, 2014;Andysz et al, 2015;Ogińska-Bulik, 2015;Rzeszutek et al, 2016;Juczyński and Ogrodnik, 2017). PTG may be affected by gender (but not always) Calhoun, 1996, 2004;Barskova and Oesterreich, 2009;Vishnevsky et al, 2010;Ogińska-Bulik, 2013;Akbar and Witruk, 2016;Baghjari et al, 2017), age (Barskova and Oesterreich, 2009;Prati and Pietrantoni, 2009;Ogińska-Bulik, 2013Calhoun and Tedeschi, 2014), and time since the traumatic event (Cordova et al, 2001;Barskova and Oesterreich, 2009;Ogińska-Bulik, 2015;Kobosko, 2016;Rzeszutek et al, 2016).…”

“…The approach-oriented coping category includes strategies that are considered effective in coping with stress and its effects, namely, active coping, planning, acceptance, and positive reframing (Barskova and Oesterreich, 2009;Prati and Pietrantoni, 2009;Ogińska-Bulik, 2015;Byra, 2016, Pérez-San-Gregorio et al, 2017Rzeszutek et al, 2017). Various studies have seen the development of PTG in people with cancer (Barskova and Oesterreich, 2009;Harding et al, 2014;Ogińska-Bulik, 2015;Baghjari et al, 2017;Boals et al, 2019), liver transplants (Pérez-San-Gregorio et al, 2017), and survivors of stroke (Kelly et al, 2018), all through using problem-focused coping and active coping.…”

“…Coping strategies beyond the typical approach-oriented and avoidance-oriented coping strategies for stress also play an important role in the development of PTG, notably religious coping (Barskova and Oesterreich, 2009;Prati and Pietrantoni, 2009;Ogińska-Bulik, 2014Byra, 2016;García et al, 2017;Kelly et al, 2018) and humor (Barskova and Oesterreich, 2009;Rajandram et al, 2011;Ogińska-Bulik, 2014Byra, 2016). Certainly, the role of social support (in the form of seeking instrumental and emotional support) in the development of PTG in people affected by trauma is also an invaluable coping strategy, especially in patients with CID (Cordova et al, 2001;Barskova and Oesterreich, 2009;Prati and Pietrantoni, 2009;Rajandram et al, 2011;Scrignaro et al, 2011;Calhoun and Tedeschi, 2014;Ogińska-Bulik, 2015;Byra, 2016;Baghjari et al, 2017;García et al, 2017;Juczyński and Ogrodnik, 2017;Pérez-San-Gregorio et al, 2017;Kelly et al, 2018).…”

Coping and adaptation of adults with cancer: the art of nursing care

“…Additionally, they deploy strategies such as accepting their diagnosis, participating in different activities, seeking information, and expressing their emotions (19), which are related to those handled by the participants in this study in the search for all possible means to cope with the situation, viewing difficult situations as an opportunity or a challenge, proposing different solutions to resolve it and trying to clarify any doubts before acting, all of which contribute to improving the level of coping.…”