Self-Concept and Psychosocial Well-Being among Korean Women with BRCA1/2 Gene Mutations

Purpose@#This study aimed to examine the level of self-concept and psychosocial well-being among women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations and to identify factors affecting their psychosocial well-being. @*Methods@#A cross-sectional design was used.Data were collected from an online community comprising Korean patients with breast cancer and their families. A total of 98 women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations completed the online questionnaire comprising the BRCA self-concept scale, the psychosocial well-being index-short form, demographic characteristics, and disease-related characteristics. Descriptive statistics, frequencies, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression were used for data analysis. @*Results@#The total self-concept level at 82.13±15.45 (range: 17~119), and the psychosocial well-being level at 28.81±9.51 (range: 0~54) indicated a high-risk group of psychosocial well-being among the surveyed women with BRCA gene mutations compared with Korean general office workers. Self-concept (β=.57, p<.001) and monthly family income (≥4,500 USD)(β=-.24, p=.048) significantly affected the psychosocial well-being of women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations. @*Conclusion@#The level of self-concept and psychosocial well-being of women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations should be assessed carefully, and tailored consultation and educational programs should be developed to overcome a negative self-concept. Supportive systems for financially vulnerable women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations should be considered.

Adult Attachment Styles and Insomnia / 수면정신생리

INTRODUCTION: Human attachment is known to be closely associated with psychophysiological phenomenon. However, there have not been enough researches on the relationship of the attachment with sleep, especially with insomnia. The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between adult attachment styles and insomnia in community-dwelling population. METHODS: One hundred seventy seven community-dwelling adults (74 males and 103 females ;mean age 41.23+/-8.44) participated in the current study. To assess the attachment styles (secure, dismissing, preoccupied and fearful), self-reporting Relationship Style Questionnaires (RSQ) were completed by the participants. Presence, type, frequency and duration of insomnia in the last month were also investigated. RESULTS: Compared to subjects without insomnia, subjects with insomnia had higher fearful attachment scores (t =2.87, p=0.005). Higher fearful attachment score were found in all subtypes of insomnia (sleep-onset insomnia, t =2.33, p=0.021;maintenance insomnia, t=2.92, p=0.004;terminal insomnia, t=2.89, p=0.004). Subjects with frequent (>or =3 per week) insomnia had higher fearful attachment scores than subjects with infrequent (or =6 months) had higher preoccupied attachment scores relative to subjects with transient insomnia (<6 months), (t=2.57, p=0.012). CONCLUSION: In the current study, attachment styles were different depending on the characteristics of insomnia. The fearful attachment was associated with the presence of insomnia, while the preoccupied attachment was associated with the chronicity of insomnia. These findings suggest that there may be some relationship between the adult attachment styles and the clinical features of insomnia.