Women's decisions regarding breast reconstruction after mastectomy: A developmental perspective.
Item
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Title
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Women's decisions regarding breast reconstruction after mastectomy: A developmental perspective.
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Identifier
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AAI9000731
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identifier
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9000731
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Creator
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Ross, Alison.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Laurence J. Gould
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Date
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1989
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Clinical | Psychology, Developmental | Women's Studies | Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery
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Abstract
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This study utilized a developmental framework in its investigation of the factors associated with mastectomy patients' decisions regarding breast reconstruction and their postmastectomy adjustment. By assessing both current and adolescent developmental phenomena, this study was designed to answer the following questions: (1) What factors differentiate those women who choose breast reconstruction after mastectomy from those who do not? and (2) What factors differentiate those women who have greater or lesser difficulties in their adjustment postmastectomy?;Forty-one white, married women who had undergone a unilateral modified radical mastectomy were divided into two decision groups: women choosing to reconstruct (N = 20) vs. women choosing not to reconstruct (N = 21). At the time of the study, none of the women had undergone breast reconstruction although it was an option available to all of them.;A packet of paper-and-pencil measures which were mailed to each participant's home included the Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberger's State-Anxiety Inventory, Levenson's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale and a Body Image Scale. This was followed by an indepth interview which was comprised of two parts: The Adolescent Development Interview which included questions about the women's early adolescent pubertal experiences, and The Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Interview which asked the women about their experiences having breast cancer and a mastectomy and their decisions regarding breast reconstruction.;Comparisons between the decision groups on adjustment revealed that the women choosing to reconstruct and the women choosing not to reconstruct did not differ on feelings of depression, anxiety or level of marital functioning. However, a number of developmental factors were found to differentiate the two decision groups. With regard to adolescent development experiences, the women in the reconstruction group were more likely to have developed breasts at an earlier age (i.e., to be "early maturers") and to state that their appearance was more important to them in adolescence in comparison to the women in the non-reconstruction group. The timing of maturational events was also found to be associated with postmastectomy adjustment such that greater levels of anxiety were associated with women who reported developing breasts and experiencing menarche at younger ages.;The results are discussed in the context of psychodynamic theory, developmental theory, and recent research on early adolescent developmental experiences and their impact on adult personality functioning. In addition, anecdotal and descriptive data regarding a number of important clinical issues related to the study's topic are provided along with discussions of the study's limitations, and its implications for clinical practice and future research.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
