The role of posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth on online information use in breast cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVE: Changes perceived as both positive (eg, posttraumatic growth [PTG]) and negative (eg, posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS]) have been associated with intensive Internet use among breast cancer survivors. In this multicenter study, we analyzed the role of PTG and PTSS on the amount of time spent looking for online cancer information, its content, and its psychological impact. METHODS: Posttraumatic stress symptoms and PTG were assessed in 182 breast cancer survivors by using the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist and Post-traumatic Growth Inventory questionnaires. Subjects also completed a questionnaire about their behavior when looking for online illness-related information (ie, time spent, type of contents, and psychological impact). RESULTS: Posttraumatic stress symptoms positively correlated with the amount of time spent looking for cancer-related information, including both medical and psychosocial content. By contrast, PTG showed no relationships with the amount of time, but with a predominant search for cancer-related psychosocial information. The psychological impact of online information was associated with participants' levels of PTG and/or PTSS. Whereas PTG was related to a decrease of women's hope, PTSS was linked to the perception of being less conscious or inadequately informed about the illness, thereby increasing feelings of distress. CONCLUSIONS: Posttraumatic stress symptoms and PTG show relationships with the amount of time spent online, the type of information accessed online, and the psychological impact of Internet use. Health professionals should prescribe online information according to the psychological response to cancer. There is a need for professional-led online resources to provide patients with timely information as well as support sites to facilitate psychological adjustment.

Ansiedad, ira y depresión en mujeres con cáncer de mama / Anxiety, anger and depression in breast cancer patients

En el presente trabajo se estudian la ansiedad, ira y depresión (emocionalidad negativa) en pacientes con cáncer de mama. Se realiza un investigación con 240 mujeres, divididas en dos grurpos, previamente equiparados en las variables demográficas más importantes: (a) grupo clínico, constituido por 120 mujeres, en tratamiento por cáncer de mama; (b) grupo control, formado por 120 mujeres de la población general. Los resultados muestran que laspacientes con cáncer presentan: (1) niveles más bajos de ansiedad (rasgo, sistema cognitivo y motor, ansiedad ante situaciones de evaluación, e interpersonales), medidos por el ISRA (Miguel-Tobal y Cano-Vindel,1994); (2) niveles más bajos de ira (rasgo, temperamento, estado, y expresión externa), junto con nivele más altos de depresión, medidos por el BDI (Beck et al., 1961). En general, estos resultados apoyan otros previos en los que hemos encontrado que un elevado número de pacientes con cáncer presentan un cierto estilo represivo de afrontamiento, caracterizado por baja ansiedad en los autoinformes y alta deseabilidad social. Se discuten las posibles consecuencias que este estilo de afrontamiento puede tener sobre la salud y sus implicaciones para un modelo general de emoción y adaptación (AU)