PTSD-Related Symptoms in Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract This study investigated whether PTSD was present in a sample of women with breast cancer. Thirty-one women who were diagnosed with breast cancer were compared with 31 women who were cancer free. PTSD symptomology was assessed with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale-form 1, the Impact of Events Scale, and the emotional Stroop. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results indicated that women diagnosed with breast cancer displayed unequivocal symptoms of PTSD, including intrusive thought and avoidance behavior related to breast cancer stimuli. All women showed significant interference effects in response to breast cancer related words on the emotional Stroop but women with breast cancer took longer to color name all stimulus material. PTSD symptomology was significantly related to a lack of knowledge of the stage of breast cancer progression. Women with breast cancer were significantly more depressed than the comparison group but did not differ from them on anxiety.