Psychosocial Clinical Pathway of Breast Cancer in Portuguese Women: The Distress, Emotional Control, Neuroticism, Social Support, Coping, Quality of Life and Body Image Perception’s Changes over Time

Abstract

Distressing events can lead to negative outcomes, such as post-traumatic stress symptoms; however, they can also lead to positive outcomes, being an experience of post-traumatic growth or benefit finding. In the context of cancer, the positive thinking may impact on important psychological outcomes, including depression, anxiety, positive well-being and health behaviors. There are few longitudinal studies in this area. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the psychosocial clinical pathway of Portuguese women with breast cancer (time 1 "diagnosis", time 2 "surgery" and time 3 "treatments"). A total of 30 women diagnosed with breast cancer were evaluated, on 3 separate occasions, in relation to: distress, emotional control, neuroticism, social support, body image perception, coping and quality of life (QoL). The non-parametric Friedman test was used to compare the variables on each occasion. The changes' analysis of the psychosocial pathway of breast cancer, illustrated the slight impact of breast cancer as a negative life event. These results show a good adjustment at all levels (emotional, social and physically). The levels of neuroticism and body image perception indicated significant changes throughout time. The results indicate that finding positive meaning in response to a distressing event, such as breast cancer, is psychologically protective and, thus, may indirectly influence the long-term occurrence of depressive symptoms and impaired QoL. Considering the rapidly growing population of Portuguese breast cancer survivors, it is important to better understand their treatment and survival experiences in further studies.