The Level of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms among Women with Breast Cancer in Taif City and Its Relationship to Selected Demographic and Disease-Related Variables

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the level of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among women with breast cancer in Taif City and to examine whether these symptoms differed according to age group and time since diagnosis. The study employed a descriptive research design and used the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS–DSM-IV) after adapting it to suit the characteristics of the study sample and its objectives. The sample consisted of 120 women with breast cancer, who were selected using purposive sampling from patients attending oncology centers and specialized hospitals in Taif City.

The results showed that the overall level of PTSD symptoms was moderate, with a mean score of 3.168 and a standard deviation of 0.810. The overall mean was significantly higher than the theoretical midpoint of the scale, t(119) = 2.273, p = 0.025. At the dimensional level, Re-experiencing ranked first with a mean of 3.217, followed by Hyperarousal with a mean of 3.157, and Avoidance with a mean of 3.142. The results also revealed no statistically significant differences in the overall level of PTSD symptoms according to age group, F(2, 117) = 0.581, p = 0.561, or time since diagnosis, F(2, 117) = 0.013, p = 0.987.