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PSYC 291 Lab Assignment 1
Megan Walker
St. Francis Xavier University
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1. Topic: Depression
2. Keywords: depression, anxiety, distress, coping, symptoms, cancer patients, health care
Summary
Word Count: 146
The objective of this study was to interview 80 newly diagnosed women with breast cancer for
the prevalence of depression and emotional distress. The same participants were reassessed at
three and six months post diagnosis to evaluate emotional distress and coping of the illness. The
participants were interviewed in person or by telephone interview. The researchers hypothesized
that pessimism and dispositional monitoring would result in symptoms of depression and
anxiety. This study proved to show that the levels of emotional distress and coping with the
diagnosis of breast cancer were lowered in women with increased levels of optimism. The main
factors of emotional distress throughout the study were age (younger participants showed more
emotional distress throughout the course of six months), intrusive thoughts of the cancer and
stage of the cancer. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were present in participants from
specific demographic and dispositional backgrounds.
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References
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