Psychosocial aspects of mastectomy: II. The man's perspective

In order to assess factors related to men's adjustment to mastectomy and its aftermath the authors administered a questionnaire to 31 men whose wives or partners had had mastectomies. Most men reported a good overall adjustment, but a subgroup remained distressed and reported adverse effects on their relationships with wives or lovers. The data indicate that the nodal points in the process are the involvement of partners in the decision-making process, the frequency of hospital visits, resumption of the sexual relationship, and the man looking at his partner's body after surgery. These findings have implications for counseling couples who face this emotionally stressful procedure.