Abstract

XAVIER, Maria de Fátima; PEREIRA, Priscila Antunes; PUPO, Ariane Carla da Silva  and  SILVA, Marjorie Cristina Rocha da. Special features of psychological coping from the relapse diagnosis of cancer. Bol. - Acad. Paul. Psicol. [online]. 2015, vol.35, n.89, pp. 409-423. ISSN 1415-711X.

This study aims to verify the main psychological features of patients diagnosed with relapsing cancer, using the HTP test. Four women diagnosed with relapsing cancer, as part of a group therapy from a cancer institution participate on the study. A semistructured interview is used for data collection, as well as the HTP test (House-Tree-Person). Data are analyzed using a qualitative method, checking the prevalence of content elicited by both the test and the interview. Main results were anxiety, organicity, regression, withdrawal, insecurity, sexual concerns and conflicts, inadequacy, gratification fantasy, dependency, impulsivity, rigidity, compulsive obsessiveness, and immaturity. Those results confirm the hypothesis of the prevalence of personality aspects in this population's behavior, where there may be emotional/affective impact due to the diagnosis of cancer relapse and treatment, affecting somehow their psychological functioning. HTP analyses allow deepen studies of the personality dynamics of women with cancer, emphasizing the importance of a closer look to psychosomatic issues. The relevance of this research is related to symptoms and unconscious defense mechanisms associated to becoming ill and facing treatment. Such information is essential for the psychologist working in that context

Keywords : psychoanalysis; oncology; subjectivity; illness; HTP.

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