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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Health Psychology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1433266

Specificity and Integration of Meaning in Self-Defining Memories of breast cancer survivors: clinical reflections to promote a narrative identity integration

Provisionally accepted
Maria Luisa Martino Maria Luisa Martino 1*Valeria Sebri Valeria Sebri 2Jefferson Singer Jefferson Singer 3Katie Madow Katie Madow 3Alice Viola Giudice Alice Viola Giudice 2Davide Mazzoni Davide Mazzoni 4MARIA FRANCESCA FREDA MARIA FRANCESCA FREDA 1Gabriella Pravettoni Gabriella Pravettoni 4
  • 1 University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
  • 2 European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Milan, Lombardy, Italy
  • 3 Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut, United States
  • 4 University of Milan, Milan, Lombardy, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Potential traumatic events, such as breast cancer, can influence autobiographical memory (AM), interrupting the continuity of narrative identity. AM is based on a hierarchical search across different levels of specificity that are indexed from top to bottom when a memory is retrieved. In the breast cancer field, non-specific AMs are an observed clinical phenomenon. In particular, breast cancer survivors report issues related to Self-Defining Memories (SDMs), specific and significant AMs that evoke strong emotions and sensory details at the time of memory. SDMs are linked to life goals and facilitate adaptation to critical experiences, preserving the continuity of identity. This study explored the narrative identity integration process of breast cancer survivors, analyzing themes, specificity, and integrative meaning in SDMs. 10 women participated in an online group support program centered on the integration of AMs linked to the cancer journey. Participants were asked to assess their Body Image perceptions, filling an online survey three times, in which they had to report 3 SDMs each time. A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of the SDMs identified three main themes: the onset of breast cancer; the labelling of negative emotions, and changes in the body. Results indicated inhibited retrieval of specific episodes, fostering a progressive failure in memory characterization and the concurrent meaning-making process. Participants struggled with connecting the memories to insights regarding their self and life, as well as relating the memories to external conditions and other individuals. Further studies might examine the impact of these difficulties on the psychological adjustment of BC long-term survivors. They could also explore cognitive reconstruction by reframing the memories and re-evaluating their traumatic meanings.

    Keywords: autobiographical memory, Self-defining, breast cancer, long-survivorship, body image, narrative integration

    Received: 15 May 2024; Accepted: 29 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Martino, Sebri, Singer, Madow, Giudice, Mazzoni, FREDA and Pravettoni. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Maria Luisa Martino, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

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