APFCC+-+Greer

APFCC: (stress) Greer - Breast Cancer Perceptions

 * Theorist ** : Greer et al
 * Study ** **of**: How the coping strategies of women with breast cancer affected their survival rate
 * Year ** : 1979

Greer studied women with breast cancer and created an assessment of their attitudes towards the disease. It was found that women who expressed their desire to fight the disease and those in denial - saying that it wasn’t a big thing for them were more likely to survive.
 * Summary: **

To study the attitudes of women with breast cancer and how that then affected their ability to survive the disease.
 * Aim: **

Greer et al classified 70 patients with breast cancer into 4 groups that represented their attitude and thus their coping strategy towards the disease. The groups were: Stoic Acceptance, group comprised patients who ignored their cancer and any symptoms as much as they could, continuing with their lives as normal. Feelings of Hopelessness patients considered themselves gravely ill, and were totally preoccupied in a negative way with their illness. Denial patients consisted of those who rejected any evidence of their diagnosis, and didn't consider having cancer as serious. Fighting Spirit group consisted of patients who possessed a highly optimistic attitude, and sought to learn more information about their cancer and to do everything they could to conquer the disease.
 * Procedures: **

Greer found that the women in the ‘fighting spirit’ and ‘denial’ group, were much more likely to have a favourable outcome from the disease compared to the other groups.
 * Findings: **

They concluded that the attitudes towards the disease and thus the coping strategy the person is using in response to the stress of cancer, can influence biological factors and survival rates.
 * Conclusions: **

The issue with this study is that the participants were evidently suffering from a dangerous illness and their stress levels may have accurately reflected their prognosis from doctors - as their individual situations are completely different. Thus they mightn’t even be their own perceptions rather what they have been induced to feel by the doctor.
 * Criticisms: **

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 * Resources: **