Intrusive Thoughts and Psychological Distress Among Breast Cancer Survivors: Global Meaning as a Possible Protective Factor

Abstract

Previous research has consistently demonstrated a positive association between intrusive thoughts about stressful experiences and psychological distress. The strength of this relation, however, has varied considerably across studies. To examine the possibility that an individual's sense of global meaning (ie, the existential belief that one's life has purpose and order) may moderate the relation between intrusive thoughts and psychological distress, the authors conducted telephone assessments of 61 women who had survived breast cancer. Results confirmed that the frequency of intrusive thoughts was positively related to psychological distress. Global meaning, moreover, moderated the relation between intrusive thoughts and psychological distress consistent with the authors' hypotheses. Among women with lower global meaning, more frequent intrusive thoughts were associated with higher psychological distress. No association was found between intrusive thoughts and psychological distress among those participants with higher global meaning.

Index Terms:

• breast cancer
• global meaning
• intrusive thoughts
• protective factors
• psychological distress

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Suzanne M. Johnson Vickberg

Ms Vickberg, Dr Bovbjerg, Dr DuHamel, and Dr Redd are with the Derald H. Ruttenberg Cancer Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. Ms Vickberg is also affiliated with the City University of New York Graduate Center. Dr Currie is with the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, also in New York.