Preemptively finding benefit in a breast cancer diagnosis

Abstract

Objective: The current mixed-method investigation seeks to discover if and how people engage in preemptive benefit finding (i.e. seeking silver linings in a potential future outcome), specifically in the context of awaiting a breast biopsy result. Design: A total of 201 patients were interviewed just prior to undergoing a breast biopsy at a county hospital. Main outcome measures and results: A qualitative analysis identified themes in women's descriptions of preemptive benefit finding. A majority of participants (76%) reported engaging in preemptive benefit finding at their appointment, a week or more before learning their result. Patients identified two categories of benefits – self- and other-focused – and eight subcategories: health benefits, personal growth, appreciation for life, physical change, strengthening relationships, spreading awareness, supporting others, and role modelling. We also identify differences between those who engaged in self-focused and other-focused preemptive benefit finding. Conclusion: Benefit finding begins long before bad news arrives, and people find a variety of benefits in even the most dire of anticipated news. Clinicians who interact with patients during the diagnostic process (e.g. mammography technicians) may find it useful to know that their patients are already grappling with the possibility of a diagnosis, including the positive reappraisal process of identifying potential silver linings.

Keywords:

• Preemptive benefit finding
• breast cancer
• coping
• reappraisal
• uncertainty

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the University of California, Riverside Faculty Senate for funding this research. The authors also thank Deborah Christianson, Dr. Jeanine McNeill, Dr. Arnold Tabuenca, and the staff in the Department of Radiology at the data collection site for their generous assistance with recruitment and data collection. Kate Sweeny had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 All study materials are available on the Open Science Framework (osf.io/7rdf4), and deidentified data are available by contacting the first or last authors of this paper (full data are not posted publicly due to the sensitive nature of the recorded interviews).