Positive Health Online

Abstract

PITMAN and colleagues, VA Research Service, Manchester, New Hampshire, USA, roger_pitman@hms.harvard.edu, explored the diagnosis of breast cancer as a possible cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD ).

Background

Methodology

37 women referred by local surgeons approximately 2 years after tissue diagnosis of Stage I to Stage III breast cancer were grouped as follows according to their scores on the Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Scale (CAPS): 'current PTSD' (n=5); 'past PTSD' (n=7); and 'never had PTSD' (n=25) . Individualized 'scripts' portraying personal life events were tape-recorded and played back to patients in the laboratory, and the patients underwent psychodiagnostic, psychometric and psychophysiological evaluations.

Results

'Current PTSD' patients showed significantly higher heart rate, skin conductance and corrugator electromyogram responses during 'imagery' (tape play-back) of their personal breast cancer experiences than 'past PTSD' and 'never had PTSD' patients. Physiological responses were significantly and positively correlated with CAPS scores.

Conclusion

The results support the proposition that diagnosis of a life-threatening illness can cause PTSD .

References

Pitman RK et al. Psychophysiologic assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder in breast cancer patients. Psychosomatics 42 (2): 133-40. Mar-Apr 2001.