Original scientific paper
Multidimensional assessment of body-image In women with breast cancer
Renata Martinec
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Edukacijsko-rehabilitacijski fakultet, Odsjek za motoričke poremećaje, kronične bolesti i Art-terapije
Abstract
Within contemporary clinical and scientific investigations, authors from various disciplines are focused on understanding of the numerous problem areas in the fi eld of body-image. Since the body-image presents an important part of selfexperience, the aim of this research was directed to multidimensional assessment of body-image in woman with breast cancer. Therefore a hypothesis has been defi ned according to which the body-image in woman with breast cancer is created on the basis of the syndrome of reactions to their illness and is determined by subjective coping mechanisms, personality traits, physical states, and social infl uences. According to multidimensional evaluation the following set of assessment instruments are used: the Symptom Checklist SCL-90, Questionnaire for the Body Image and Quality of Life Assessment (UPSTKŽ) and PD visual analogue scales of self-assessment. Statistical processing of the original data was made by using canonical covariance analysis. The results of the investigation indicate a number of factors that may infl uence the body image in the women with breast cancer, as well as complexity of their connections. Based on that, development of further multidimensional models of clinical assessment has been emphasised, both in the psychosocial oncology, and in the other related disciplines that take part in diagnostics, education, therapy and rehabilitation of oncology patients. The investigation was carried out in the frame of the scientifi c research project “Complementary Supportive Therapies and Development of Life Potentials”, with the support of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia.
Keywords
body-image; breast cancer; clinical assessment; interdisciplinarity; psychosocial oncology
Hrčak ID:
112812
URI
Publication date:
15.1.2014.
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