The meaning of concepts related to breast reconstruction

Information is presented from a psychometric study using a semantic differential to measure the meaning of concepts related to breast reconstruction. One hundred five women participated. All were experiencing breast reconstruction subsequent to mastectomy. The average woman was married, middle-aged, and had 11/2 years of education beyond high school. Results from the semantic differential demonstrated that the women viewed themselves, their bodies, and their femininity positively. They valued themselves, and their self-concepts were closer in meaning to health than to mastectomy, death, or cancer.