Psychosocial adjustment and mood disturbance in the exceptional cancer patient
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Abstract
The purpose of this project was to survey the members of the Exceptional Cancer Patients, Inc. (ECaP) groups in New Haven, Connecticut for adjustment to illnesss and mood disturbance. Each participant completed three questionnaires. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) was used to evaluate the level of mood disturbance, the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness (PAIS-SR) to determine the level of adjustment to the illness, and an instrument designed by the researcher to record medical and demographic information.
The data was analyzed using frequency distributions and then correlated to participation in ECaP, psychosocial adjustment to illness, and mood disturbance. In general the results did not support the hypothesis that there is a relationship between the ECaP group and positive psychosocial adjustment and low mood disturbance. The correlations were quite low and scattered. However, as a group the POMS showed low levels of psychological distress. The PAIS-SR revealed some disturbance in adjustment to illness, except in sexual relationships and social environment.
The demographic findings reveal a small sample (N = 15) predominantly female and married with a median age of 49.4 years. Almost half were employed full time. Treatment variables show an overwhelming majority of breast cancer diagnosed one to five years prior to the study. Surgery and chemotherapy were the main forms of treatment and almost half had been treated within the month prior to the study. Group participation variables depict the majority of respondents as ECaP members for greater than one year and actively participating in the group process about 75%.
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Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University
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