The Effects of Mastectomy and Post-Mastectomy Reconstructive Surgeries on Depression, Self-esteem, and Self-efficacy Belief Levels in Patients with Breast Cancer

Objective: The aim of this present study is to examine the effects of mastectomy and post-mastectomy reconstructive operations on depression, self-esteem, and self-efficacy belief levels in patients with breast cancer compared with healthy controls. Methods: A cross-sectional and correlational research design was implemented. Our study sample were composed of 240 women. Participants were 75 mastectomy patients, and 32 post-mastectomy reconstructive surgery patients, and 133 healthy women. In data collection, Personal Information Form, General Self-efficacy Scale, Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory have been used. Due to non-normal distribution of the variables; Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H and Spearman Rho correlation techniques were used to analyze the data. Results: We found that mastectomy patients' depression scores were higher than patients who had post-mastectomy reconstructive operation and control group. In addition; compared to patients with post-mastectomy reconstructive operations and control group, mastectomy patients had lower levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy beliefs. Conclusions: It was then concluded that in terms of depression, self-esteem and self-efficacy levels, the best treatment might have been a combination of chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and reconstructive surgery.