The valence of attentional bias and cancer‐related rumination in posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth among women with breast cancer

Abstract

To examine the effects of self-reported attentional bias on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and posttraumatic growth (PTG) through the potential mediator of cancer-related rumination. A cross-sectional survey design was used and women with breast cancer (N=170) were recruited. Attentional biases, cancer-related ruminations, PTSD symptoms, and PTG were assessed. Negative attentional bias and negative cancer-related rumination were positively related to PTSD symptoms following cancer diagnosis and treatments, but they were not related to PTG. Positive attentional bias and positive cancer-related rumination were positively related to PTG, but positive attentional bias was not related to PTSD symptoms. Findings showed that negative cancer-related rumination partially mediated the relationship between negative attentional bias and PTSD symptoms, while positive cancer-related rumination partially mediated the relationship between positive attentional bias and PTG. Findings support that there are differential trajectories to PTSD symptoms and PTG with respect to different valence of habitual attentional style and cancer-related rumination. They may serve as potential therapeutic leverages in the alleviation of PTSD symptoms and facilitation of PTG following cancer diagnosis and treatments.