Coping with Breast Cancer across Adulthood: Emotional Support Communication in the Mother-Daughter Bond

Women diagnosed with breast cancer encounter traumatic changes and their ability to cope is tied to support they receive from their families. Women describe the mother-daughter relationship as a significant potential source of this support. Forty diagnosed women in young, middle, and later adulthood and 38 of their mothers/daughters were interviewed to capture how communication functioned both adaptively and maladaptively in their adjustment. Findings highlight differences in women's communication preferences related to development.