Resumo

JUAREZ GARCIA, Dehisy Marisol  e  HERNANDEZ, René Landero. Body image, sexual functioning, self-esteem and optimism in women with breast cancer. Nova scientia [online]. 2012, vol.4, n.7, pp.17-34. ISSN 2007-0705.

Introduction: The body image and sexual functioning are aspects affected by breast cancer, self-esteem and optimism are considered psychological resources that allow cope with stressful situations so that the aim of this study was to assess the levels and the relationship of body image, sexual functioning, self-esteem and optimism in a group of women with breast cancer and evaluate the psychometric properties of body image questionnaire. Method: We used a cross-sectional correlation with a non- probabilistic sample of women with breast cancer (n = 79), which were interviewed in hospitals in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Results: Were found a low level of alteration in body image and sexual functioning as well as a high level of self-esteem and optimism. The correlation analysis shows significant relationships between body image, self-esteem (r_s = -.386, p <.01) and optimism (r_s = -.473, p <.01) between self-esteem and sexual functioning (r_s = .384, p <.01) and optimism (r_s = .406, p <.01) and between optimism and body image subscale (r_s = .384, p <.01). Exploratory factor analysis for the body image questionnaire shows a single factor that explains 45% of the variance and obtained a Cronbach Alpha of .84 in the analysis of internal consistency, also is significantly correlated with body image subscale QLQ 30 (r_s = -. 444, p <.01). Discussion or Conclusion: Self-esteem and optimism are factors that influence body image and sexual functioning. The body image questionnaire shows psychometric properties similar to the original scale.

Palavras-chave : breast cancer; body image; sexual functioning; self esteem; optimism.