Abstract:
Experiencing stressful situations, such as cancer disease, may be related not only to negative consequences, but also positive changes. Those changes contribute the phenomena, which have been called posttraumatic growth. It Includes changes in self perception, relating to others and changes in life philosophy. The purpose of the study was to answer the question whether in a group of women with breast cancer (after mastectomy) the posttraumatic growth occurs, and to what extend, and to investigate if resiliency (as a personality trait) may promote this phenomena. 67 women with breast cancer (aged 42-75; M = 60,43; SD = 7,07), after mastectomy participated in the study. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and the Resiliency Assessment Scale were used, 50% of women revealed high level of posttraumatic growth (25% low and 25% average). The positive changes were higher in relating to others and appreciation of life, lower m self perception and the lowest in spiritual area. Resiliency positively (but moderately) related to posttraumatic growth, self perception, in particular. The factor of resiliency, it is tolerance to failures and treating life as a challenge, appeared the predictor of posttraumatic growth.
