Cognitive processing in relation to psychological distress in women with breast cancer: a theoretical approach

To evaluable a cognitive procession model developed by Creamer and colleagues, this study examined the longitudinal relationship between intrusion and psychological distress, via avoidance, in women with breast cancer.

Participants included 189 patients who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The longitudinal association between intrusion, avoidance and psychological distress and the mediating role of avoidance between intrusion and psychological distress were examined. Intrusion was measured at inclusion (T1), avoidance at 3 months post-inclusion (T2) and psychological distress at 12 months post-inclusion (T3).

Results suggested that avoidance at T2 did not mediate the relationship between intrusions at T1 and psychological distress at T3.

The results did not provide support for Creamer's model in an early-stage breast cancer population, which suggests that early-stage breast cancer patient's process trauma differently from late-stage cancer patients. Therefore, it might be suggested that early-stage and late-stage cancer patients require different types of support and treatment for the distress experienced.