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Post‐traumatic growth: finding positive meaning in cancer survivorship moderates the impact of intrusive thoughts on adjustment in younger adults
Author(s) -
Park Crystal L.,
Chmielewski Jennifer,
Blank Thomas O.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.1680
Subject(s) - psychology , affect (linguistics) , cancer survivorship , quality of life (healthcare) , meaning (existential) , survivorship curve , mental health , clinical psychology , life satisfaction , posttraumatic growth , cancer , psychotherapist , medicine , communication
Abstract Objective : We examined whether post‐traumatic growth would moderate the impact of intrusive thoughts on a range of dimensions of well‐being in a sample of younger adult survivors of various types of cancer. Methods : 167 participants completed questionnaires regarding intrusive thoughts, post‐traumatic growth, mental and physical health‐related quality of life, positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and spiritual well‐being. Multiple regression analyses controlling for relevant background and cancer‐related variables tested the interaction effects of post‐traumatic growth and intrusive thoughts. Results : Intrusive thoughts were related to poorer adjustment on all indices except physical health‐related quality of life. However, post‐traumatic growth moderated the effects of intrusive thoughts on positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and spiritual well‐being in a protective fashion. That is, for those higher in post‐traumatic growth, higher levels of intrusive thoughts were related to better adjustment. Conclusions : The positive meaning that individuals assign to their cancer experience as reflected in their reports of post‐traumatic growth appears to be important in determining the impact of intrusive thoughts on post‐cancer adjustment. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.