@Article{Mącik2012,
journal="Menopause Review/Przegląd Menopauzalny",
issn="1643-8876",
volume="11",
number="6",
year="2012",
title="Situations connected with perceived loss of femininity: menopause and mastectomy – changes in perceiving oneself as a woman",
abstract=" Introduction:  Menopause is often associated with the loss of one of the physical attributes of femininity. Its occurrence may in-duce changes in the self-image. Similarly, the breasts are inextricably linked with femininity, and their amputation in cancer patients leads to a profound sense of loss and the need to adapt to a new situation. Both these situations can lead to similar psychological effects.    Aim of the study : To determine whether there is a change in the perception of femininity in women who have experienced menopause or mastectomy, and whether their self-assessment differs from that of healthy pre-menopausal women.    Material and methods:  We studied 71 women in three groups: women after menopause, women after mastectomy (study groups), and pre-menopausal healthy women (control group). The study groups filled in the ACL test by Gough and Heilbrun twice, in relation to the questions:  What a woman are you presently? ,  What a woman were you before menopause / amputation of the breast?  The control group was tested once with the first question.   Results : The results indicate no changes in the perceived self-image in study groups between tested situations, although a comparison with the control group indicates that women after menopause or mastectomy are more withdrawn, dependent, insecure and secretive, with a lesser sense of self-efficacy when compared to healthy women.    Conclusions : Occurrence of similar defense mechanisms is probable in women after mastectomy and menopause, allowing them to deny the negative changes in the self-image, through adjustment of the retrospective self-image to the current one.",
author="Mącik, Dorota
and Ziółkowska, Patrycja",
pages="456--462",
doi="10.5114/pm.2012.32537",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/pm.2012.32537"
}