Subject and personal particularities of women having various stages of breast cancer

Abstract

Introduction:The relevance of the research is on the one hand associated with improvement of medical technologies for oncological diseases treatment contributing to increasing the patients’ life expectancy, which leads to an increase of the actual quantity of oncological patients. On the other hand, it is due to worsening of the quality of life of patients having malignant tumors depending both on treatment methods and the patients’ mental and emotional condition.Objective:This paper is aimed at finding psychological personal determinants that create scientific bases to allow using subjective psychological factors alongside with medical practice in working with cancer patients for improving their quality of life.Methods:The leading approach to studying this problem is the systemic and subject-based approach that allows taking an integral view of subject and personal characteristics of oncological patients. Various questionnaires focused on the coping behavior, viability and control were used as psychodiagnostic techniques for assessing the subject and personal characteristics.Results:In the paper, a review of studies is presented that deal with psychological particularities of women having breast cancer, and psychological features women with breast cancer distinguishing them from healthy women are described. As a result of the research conducted, it has been found there are personal and subjective particularities of self-control, subjective control and viability in women having breast cancer distinguishing them from healthy women.Conclusion:The materials of the paper are of practical importance for practicing psychologists who monitor and adjust the treatment process both in terms of oncologists and of psychological support, which gives the opportunity to adjust treatment methods up to the patient’s mental and emotional condition.