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Updated: Nov 20, 2025

Identifying the Effects of BRCA1 Mutations on Homologous Recombination using Cells that Express Endogenous Wild-type BRCA1
Published on: February 17, 2011
Self-concept and health anxiety relate to psychological outcomes for BRCA1/2 carriers
Ellen Butler1, Sonya Collier2, Michael Boland3
1School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Objective:
Leventhal's common sense model of self-regulation highlights how specific beliefs about illness influence psychological outcomes. Little is known on how such beliefs relate to BRCA1/2 adjustment. Furthermore, beliefs about one's self-concept may be relevant to genetic conditions and may relate to psychological wellbeing.
Methods:
One-hundred and eighteen female BRCA1/2 carriers from an Irish University Hospital completed questionnaires for this cross-sectional study. Outcomes measured were state anxiety and physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Explanatory variables included sociodemographics, health anxiety, illness perceptions, coping and self-concept. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted.
Results:
Then, 44% of participants had clinically significant state anxiety and 12% had clinically significant health anxiety. Vulnerability, stigma, mastery and health anxiety explained 42% of the variance in state anxiety. Previous mental health difficulty, vulnerability, stigma, mastery and health anxiety explained 40% of the variance in mental HRQOL. Dysfunctional coping strategies were strongly related to the physical functioning aspect of quality of life.
Conclusion:
BRCA-specific beliefs related to self and health anxiety are important factors to consider in the adjustment to BRCA1/2 confirmation.
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