Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Breast cancer is the leading type of cancer in Canadian women. Although mastectomy is the most common surgical treatment, the physical and psychological consequences leave many women opting to undergo breast reconstruction as a way of restoring body image and sense of normalcy. Unfortunately, research shows that many women hold unrealistic expectations for outcome and are not adequately prepared for the psychological and emotional consequences. Furthermore, there is currently no intervention available to meet women's informational needs and assist with realistic expectation setting. The purpose of the present study is to develop and evaluate an individualized psych-educational intervention focused on better preparing women post-operatively in relation to setting more realistic expectations for outcome. Breast cancer patients (N=100) will participate in a randomized control trial comparing usual care (consultation with a plastic surgeon) with usual care plus expectation setting (educational video, photographs, brochure). Measures of expectation, coping style, body image, and distress will be administered at baseline. The intervention will occur one month before surgery and a measure of knowledge retention will be administered 3 weeks prior to surgery. Satisfaction with surgical outcome, body image, distress, and quality of life will be measured 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery. In addition, qualitative data will also be collected at all time points to help gain a better understanding of women's experiences. This will be the first psycho-educational intervention of its kind designed to assist women with realistic expectation setting in relation to breast reconstruction outcome. This study is also the first step toward better preparing women for reconstructive surgery by enhancing the informed consent process and reducing the potential for negative long-term health outcomes by increasing satisfaction, body image, and decreasing distress post-operatively and beyond.