Coping and psychological adjustment to illness with breast cancer patients

It has been conducted a study about the relationship between coping and psychological adjustment to illness, with breast cancer patients. Different variables such as coping, quality of life and personality were applied to a sample of 78 breast cancer patients. Four groups of patients were matched from the combination of extreme scores in two coping scales: "Dejection and Hopelessness" and "Emotional and Cognitive Control". The groups were: Low Dejection-High Control (N=9), Low Dejection-Low Control (N=7), High Dejection-High Control (N=9) and High Dejection-Low Control (N=10). An ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis was made with the four groups. Bivariate analysis (U Mann-Whitney) and Multivariate analysis Discriminant) were also made between the Low Dejection-High Control group and the other three groups. Statistical differences in several variables such as social disturbance, psychological discomfort, relaxation ability and fears were found. Low Dejection-High Control was the least disturbed group, being the opposite (High Dejected-Low Control group) the worst group in adjustment to illness.