COPING WITH THE UNCERTAINTIES OF BREAST CANCER: APPRAISAL AND COPING STRATEGIES (TEXAS, NONHOSPITALIZED).
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1986
Number of pages: 385
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between purpose in life, control of cancer, uncertainty, threat of recurrence, and coping strategies used by women diagnosed with breast cancer. The theory of stress and coping explicated by Lazarus and Folkman served as the theoretical framework. Answers were sought to determine relationships among variables and describes the phenomenon of uncertainty.

The study used a descriptive correlational design. The sample consisted of 227 nonhospitalized women diagnosed with breast cancer. Subjects completed the Crumbaugh Purpose in Life Scale, Mishel's Uncertainty in Illness (community version) Scale, Northouse's Fear of Recurrence Scale, Lazarus and Folkman's Revised Ways of Coping Scale, four items related to control, an item on threat of recurrence, and an information sheet. Sixteen women were interviewed to determine the phenomenon of uncertainty.

Five stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed. Purpose in life, control of course/recurrence, and knowing about situation predicted making self/things better strategy. Lack of clarity and not understanding explanations predicted minimizing. Purpose in life, knowing about situation, lack of clarity, and control of cause predicted blaming/confrontation/problem solving. Fear and threat of recurrence, and purpose in life predicted wishful thinking. Control of cause and course/recurrence, fear of recurrence and purpose in life predicted increasing understanding. Canonical analyses indicated three sets which accounted for 91% of the variance. Making self/things better, not wishful thinking, and increasing understanding corresponded with high purpose in life, clarity and consistency in the situation, control of course/recurrence, and low threat and fear of recurrence. Increasing understanding, making self/things better, and wishful thinking corresponded to high fear and threat of recurrence, lack of clarity and consistency, control of course/recurrence, and control of cancer cause. Minimizing, blaming/confrontation/problem solving, and not wishful thinking corresponded to not understanding explanations, definiteness of illness, and low fear of recurrence.

The uncertainty phenomenon is a process over time. Appraisal leads to coping strategies and then outcomes which are followed by reappraisal.

Future research is needed to identify and describe relationships among appraisals, coping strategies, and outcomes of individuals with cancer over time.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-10, Section: B, page: 4113.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1986.

School code: 0227.