Semantics of Experience of a Mental Trauma by Young Women with Breast Cancer

The article reports the data of research of semantic field of cancer, as a mental trauma. In the study was used a modified “Semantic Differential” (Ch. Osgood) among breast cancer patients. Based on the results obtained, concluded that the severity of mental trauma can be determined by the semantic field of oncological disease. Breast cancer patients, who exhibit a high injury index exhibit more subjective significant relationships in the semantic field, where the disease itself can be meant to threaten the breakdown of these connections. For patients with a low injury index, a smaller number of subjective significant relationships in semantic field obtained, the stress zone built in relation to the enhancement of self-identification; the disease is not meant as a threat of decay self-concept. The obtained results can be used to determine the target of psychological correction within the framework of psychological rehabilitation of breast cancer patients.

1. Antsyferova L.I. Lichnost v trudnykh zhiznennykh usloviyakh: pereosmyslivaniye. preobrazovaniye situatsii i psikhologicheskaya zashchita [Personality in difficult living conditions: rethinking, transforming the situation and psychological protection]. Psikhologicheskiy zhurnal [Psychological Journal], 1994, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 3–18. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
2. Arkhipova I.V., Kokorina N.P. Klinicheskiye i reabilitatsionnyye aspekty psikhicheskikh rasstryostv u zhenshchin s diagnozom «rak molochnoy zhelezy» na etape khirurgicheskogo lecheniya [Clinical and rehabilitation aspects of mental disorders at women with the diagnosis "breast cancer" at a stage of surgical treatment]. Psikhologicheskie rasstroystva v obshchey meditsine [Mental Disorders in General Medicine], 2009, no 1, pp. 20–22. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
3. Broytigam V., Kristian P., Rad M. Psikhosomaticheskaya meditsina [Psychosomatic medicine]. Moscow: MEDpress-inform, 1999. 412 p. (In Russ.).
4. Vasserman L.I., Berebin M.A., Kosenkov N.I. O sistemnom podkhode v otsenke psikhicheskoy adaptatsii [About system approach in assessment mental ̆ adaptations]. Obozreniye psikhiatrii i meditsinskoy psikhologii im. V. M. Bekhtereva [Review of psychiatry and medical ̆ psychology of V.M. Bekhterev], 1994, no. 3, pp. 16–25. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
5. Vasserman L.I., Trifonova E.A., Chervinskaya K.R. Semanticheskiy differentsial vremeni: ekspertnaya i psikhodiagnosticheskaya sistema v meditsinskoy psikhologii. Posobiye dlya vrachey i meditsinskikh psikhologov [Semantic ̆ time differential: an expert and psychodiagnostic system in medical ̆ psychology. Grant for doctors ̆ and medical psychologists]. Saint-Petersburg, 2009, 44 p. (In Russ.).
6. Velikolug A.N., Ovcharova R.V. Psikhologicheskiye osobennosti lichnosti bolnykh zlokachestvennymi opukholyami razlichnoy lokalizatsii [Psychological features of the personality of patients with malignant tumors of different localization]. Palliativnaya meditsina i reabilitatsiya [Palliative Medicine and Rehabilitation], 1997, no. 2, pp. 16–20. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
7. Vygotskiy L. S. Psikhologiya iskusstva [Art psychology]. 3rd ed. / V.V. Ivanova (ed.). Moscow: Iskusstvo, 1986, 477 p. (In Russ.).
8. Vygotskiy L. S. Sobranie sochinenii: v 6 t. Voprosi teorii i istorii psikhologii [Collection of works: in 6 vol. Vol.1. In A.R. Luria, M.G. Yaroshevsky (eds.), Voprosy teorii i istorii psikhologii [Questions of theory and history of psychology]. Vol. 1. Moscow: Pedagogika, 1982, 488 p. (In Russ.).
9. Vygotskiy L.S. Konkretnaya psikhologiya cheloveka [Concrete psychology of the person]. Vestnik MGU [Journal of MSU], 1986, no. 1, pp. 11–18. (In Russ.).
10. Vygotskiy L.S. Psikhologia razvitiya cheloveka [Psychology of development of the person]. Moscow: Smisl, 2005, 1136 p. (In Russ.).
11. Zinchenko V.P. Porozhdeniye i metamorfozy smysla: ot metafory k metaforme [Generation and metamorphosis of meaning: from metaphor to meta form]. Kulturno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya [Cultural and Historical Psychology], 2007, no. 3, pp. 17–30. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
12. Zinchenko V.P. Problema obrazuyushchikh soznaniya v deyatelnostnoy teorii psikhiki [Problem forming consciousnesses in activity ̆ theories of mentality]. Vestnik MGU [Journal of MSU], 1988, no. 3, pp. 25–33. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
13. Ilin E.P. Perezhivaniye kak impressivnyy komponent emotsionalnogo reagirovaniya. Emotsii i chuvstva [Experience as impressivny ̆ component of emotional reaction. Emotions and feelings]. 2nd ed. Saint-Petersburg: Piter, 2007, 784 p. (In Russ.).
14. Isayeva E.R. Koping-povedeniye i psikhologicheskaya zashchita lichnosti v usloviyakh zdorovia i bolezni [Copying behaviour and psychological protection of the person in conditions of health and illness]. Saint-Petersburg: publ. of SPbGMU, 2009, 136 p. (In Russ.).
15. Kasimova L.N., Ilyukhina T.V. Rezultaty psikhopatologicheskogo i psikhologicheskogo issledovaniya onkologicheskikh bolnykh [Results of psychopathological and psychological research of oncological patients]. Psikhicheskiye rasstroystva v obshchey meditsine [Mental disorders in general medicine], 2007, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 33–36. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
16. Kupriyanova I.E., Slonimskaya E.M., Bekher O.A. Nervno-psikhicheskiye rasstroystva u zhenshchin. stradayushchikh rakom molochnoy zhelezy [Psychological frustration at the women having a breast cancer]. Psikhicheskiye rasstroystva v obshchey meditsine [Mental disorders in general medicine], 2009, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 53–57. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
17. Lakan Zh. Funktsiya i pole rechi i yazyka v psikhoanalize [Function and field of speech and language in psychoanalysis] / A.K. Chernoglazova (ed.). Moscow: Gnozis, 1995, 70 p. (In Russ.).
18. Lesko K.A., Byakhov M.Y., Abduraimov A.B., Mikhaylova Z.F., Karpova S.N. Problemy vybora strategii skrininga raka molochnoy zhelezy [Breast cancer screening strategy selection challenges]. Zlokachestvennyye opukholi [Malignant tumors], 2017, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 13–17. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.). doi:10.18027/2224-5057-2017-3-5-12
19. Mendelevich V.D. Klnicheskaya i meditsinskaya psikhologiya [Clinical and medical psychology]. Moscow.: MEDpress-inform, 2005. 432 p. (In Russ.).
20. Nepomnyashchaya N.I. Gipoteza o psikhosomaticheskoy prirode raka [Hypothesis on the psychosocial nature of cancer]. Psikhologicheskiy zhurnal [Psychological Journal], 1998, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 132–145. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
21. Rusina N.A. Psikhologicheskaya diagnostika i psikhoterapevticheskaya korrektsiya onkologicheskikh bolnykh s kalechashchimi operatsiyami [Psychological diagnosis and psychotherapeutic correction of cancer patients with mutilation]. Psikhologiya: sovremennyye napravleniya mezhdistsiplinarnykh issledovaniy: materialy nauchnoy konferentsii. posvyashchennoy pamyati chlena-korrespondenta RAN A.V. Brushlinskogo (g. Moskwa, 8 oktyabrya 2002 g.) [Materials of the scientific conference dedicated to the memory of the corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.V. Brushlinsky]. Moscow: Publ. of Institut psikhologii RAN, 2003, pp. 236–255. (In Russ.).
22. Tarabrina N.V. Posttravmaticheskiy stress u bolnykh ugrozhayushchimi zhizni (onkologicheskimi) zabolevaniyami [PTSD at patients with life-endangering (oncological) diseases]. Konsultativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya [Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy], 2014, no. 1, pp. 40–63. (In Russ., Abstr. in Engl.).
23. Chulkova V.A., Moiseyenko V.M. Psikhologicheskiye problemy v onkologii [Psychological problems in oncology]. Prakticheskaya onkologiya [Practical Oncology], 2009, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 151–157. (In Russ.).
24. Davidson JRT, Foa EB. Diagnostic issues in posttraumatic stress disorder: considerations for the DSM-IV. Abnormal Psychology, 1991, vol. 100, no. 3, pp. 346–355.
25. Holland JS, Rowland JH. Handbook of psychooncology: psychological care of the patient with cancer. N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 1989, 812 p.
26. Moos R.H., Tsu V.D. The crisis of physical illness an overview. In R.H. Moos (ed.), Coping with Physical Illness. Boston, MA: Springer, 1977, pp. 3–21.