POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH ASSOCIATED CERVICAL CANCER: DO IMPACT OF EVENT, REGRET PLAY A MEDIATING ROLE?
Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related death among women globally. The morbidity rates of cervical cancer are the second leading type of all-female cancers in Taiwan. The diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer can be a traumatic experience with long-lasting psychological effects. Research focused solely on documenting distress and dysfunction, however, may paint an incomplete and potentially misleading picture of adjustment following malignant disease.
Method(s):
Although progress has been made in understanding positive outcomes following cancer diagnosis and treatment, the literature has been characterized by several methodological limitations. First, research has generally relied on unstandardized interview methods to assess positive outcomes. Second, those studies presenting quantitative information consist largely of descriptions of the relative frequency of different types of positive outcomes. Third, the few studies that have examined variables associated with individual differences in positive outcomes have generally not been guided by theory-driven hypotheses. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: (i) to determine the respective predictive power of patients’ involvement, trust, decisional conflict and personality for developing PTG symptoms, and (ii) to examine correlates of growth and whether the behavior of seek medical advice mediated the relationship between IESR and PTG.
Result(s):
Data gathered from 63 cervical patients of the Chung Shan Medical University Hospital were subjected to simple correlational and moderated mediation analysis. Results showed that seek medical advice (SDM, CON, TRU and REG) related factors predicted PTG and beyond demographics. Testing for moderating effects provides helpful information regarding the role of seek medical advice in buffering the relationship between IESR and PTG. Most studies characterize the relationship between IESR and PTG as a simple response phenomenon. However, our data suggest that certain SDM and REG (partial) characteristics significantly moderate this association.
Conclusion(s):
Recently the importance of PTG, a phenomenon of positive psychological growth beyond baseline values, has been discovered in the field of oncology. These findings support the proposition that different combinations of both SDM and REG are necessary to best manage these survivors. Overall, it is important for clinicians to consider the notion that more SDM or less REG may sometimes, but not always, be better. These findings may aid in the development of clinical interventions to enhance medical quality for cervical cancer survivors.