Psychological Distress and Drawing Tests among Women with Breast Cancer

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science Vol. 33; no. 17; pp. e140 - 51
• Main Authors: Kim, Jiyeon, Youn, Soyoung, Choi, Byeongil, Jung, Kyung Hae, Ahn, Seung Do, Hwang, Sook Yeon, Chung, Seockhoon, Lee, Jaedam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences 23.04.2018; 대한의학회
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Aged; Anxiety Disorders - diagnosis; Breast Neoplasms - psychology; Depression - diagnosis; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Original; Patient Health Questionnaire; Psychometrics; Stress, Psychological - diagnosis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; 의학일반; Depression; Anxiety; Breast Cancer; Diagnostic Drawing Series
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2018.33.e140

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of the Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS) as a screening tool for the breast cancer patients with psychological distress. All of 64 patients with breast cancer participated in this study. Patients' depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) when the DDS was applied to the partipicants. Depressed patients used more enclosure in the Feeling drawings ( = 0.002) and tilt in Free drawings ( = 0.048). Patients with anxiety drew a picture over 67% of the paper ( = 0.015) in Tree drawing and more medium pressure ( = 0.049) in Feeling drawings. Thirty four subjects (77.3%) of unstable emotion group used over 67% of the space ( = 0.002). More Landscapes were observed in the Feeling drawings of unstable patients ( = 0.042). These results suggested that DDS could be used as a supplemental screening tool for psychological distress in breast cancer patients.