Psychological management of negative thoughts in women who have had mastectomy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of cognitive restructuring technique in the control of negative thoughts in breast career patients during the grieving process post mastectomy. Thirty breast cancer patients, who met certain specified criteria, were recruited for this study after obtaining their consent, from the radiotherapy out-patient Department of the University College hospital, Ibadan. A pretest - posttest longitudinal research design was utilized. The subjects received training in cognitive restructuring technique as a coping skill, for a period of 4 weeks to help them adjust to mastectomy. Using Inventory of Negative thoughts, the effect of cognitive restructuring technique was tested on the control of negative thoughts by the patients. The findings revealed that there was a decrease in the occurrence of negative thoughts in the patients at the end of the training sessions. The study confirms that cognitive restructuring technique has a significant role to play in the control of negative thoughts of patients during the grieving process