Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy.
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy.
BMC Psychol. 2017 Nov 9;5(1):37. doi: 10.1186/s40359-017-0206-z.
Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment represent stressful events that demand emotional adjustment, thus recruiting coping strategies and defense mechanisms. As parental relations were shown to influence emotion regulation patterns and adaptive processes in adulthood, the present study investigated whether they are specifically associated to coping and defense mechanisms in patients with breast cancer.
One hundred and ten women hospitalized for breast cancer surgery were administered questionnaires assessing coping with cancer, defense mechanisms, and memories of parental bonding in childhood.
High levels of paternal overprotection were associated with less mature defenses, withdrawal and fantasy and less adaptive coping mechanisms, such as hopelessness/helplessness. Low levels of paternal care were associated with a greater use of repression. No association was found between maternal care, overprotection, coping and defense mechanisms. Immature defenses correlated positively with less adaptive coping styles, while mature defenses were positively associated to a fighting spirit and to fatalism, and inversely related to less adaptive coping styles.
These data suggest that paternal relations in childhood are associated with emotional, cognitive, and behavioral regulation in adjusting to cancer immediately after surgery. Early experiences of bonding may constitute a relevant index for adaptation to cancer, indicating which patients are at risk and should be considered for psychological interventions.
乳腺癌的诊断和治疗是应激性事件，需要情绪调整，因此需要采用应对策略和防御机制。由于父母关系会影响成年后的情绪调节模式和适应过程，本研究调查了它们是否与乳腺癌患者的应对和防御机制有特定的联系。
110 名因乳腺癌手术住院的女性接受了问卷调查，评估了她们对癌症的应对方式、防御机制以及童年时期与父母的依恋记忆。
父亲过度保护与不成熟的防御机制、退缩和幻想以及不太适应的应对机制（如绝望/无助）有关。父亲关心程度低与压抑的使用较多有关。母亲的关心、过度保护、应对和防御机制之间没有关联。不成熟的防御机制与不太适应的应对方式呈正相关，而成熟的防御机制与斗志和宿命论呈正相关，与不太适应的应对方式呈负相关。
这些数据表明，童年时期的父子关系与手术后立即适应癌症的情绪、认知和行为调节有关。早期的联系经历可能是适应癌症的一个相关指标，表明哪些患者有风险，应考虑进行心理干预。
