Heterogeneous patterns of posttraumatic adaptation in lymphoma patients: A latent profile analysis

The diagnosis and treatment of lymphoma can be highly stressful, yet some patients also report personal growth. This study identified distinct patterns of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among lymphoma patients and examined their associations with coping strategies and psychological adjustment. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was completed by lymphoma patients (N = 233). Latent profile analysis identified three patterns: Low PTS/Low PTG, Low PTS/High PTG, and High PTS/Moderate PTG. Acceptance/reframing and social support coping were associated with membership in both the Low PTS/High PTG and High PTS/Moderate PTG patterns, whereas denial/self-blame coping was associated specifically with the High PTS/Moderate PTG pattern. The High PTS/Moderate PTG pattern reported the lowest quality of life and the highest psychological distress. These findings highlight heterogeneity in posttraumatic responses and may inform tailored psychosocial assessment and support for lymphoma patients.