Psychological adaptation to cancer control emotion and cognitive patients with cancer of the genitourinary system

Diagnosing a cancer of the urogenital system and in particular of the testicle of the testicle, is associated with stress related to illness, fear of suffering and death and fear of loss of sexual identity, sexual dysfunction and infertility. The crisis related to cancer and its treatment represents a serious burden on the patient, which can contribute to the development of emotional disorders and the emergence of destructive coping strategies. The purpose of the study is to examine mental adaptation in patients suffering from genitourinary cancers – investigate the relationship between the use of coping strategies and the styles of adaptation to the disease. The practical purpose of the study was to collect data enabling the development of the targeted psychoeducation programs aimed at men with prostate cancer. All patients included in the study received psychological support during their stay in the clinic.

Cognitive Explanation of Emotional Regulation – CERQ and Mental Abnormal Scale for MINI-MAC were used. The CERQ questionnaire measures 9 cognitive strategies used in response to negative experiences. The MINI-MAC scale measures 4 attitudes towards cancer. The study covered 112 people aged 19 to 78 with urogenital cancer. Patients included in the study were found to have significantly lower score of anxious preoccupation, higher score of fighting spirit, hopelessness, and similar score on the scale of positive reevaluation when compared with the reference group. A number of statistically significant associations were obtained. Results of the study indicate good adaptation to the disease in the study participants.