Minoo Sharbafshaaer - Department of Psychology, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, IR Iran
Mohammad A Mashhadi - Department of Haematology and Oncology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, IR Iran

Background: Cancer is malignant disease with high risk of incidence which disease lead to stressful and pressure condition. This study was done to analyse age groups in cancer patients who suffer from death rumination disorder and employed psychological defense styles.Methods: The study was done using two questionnaire such as: death rumination questionnaire and defense style questionnaire-60 (DSQ-60). Study was conducted in 200 patients who after oncologist diagnosis bedded in hospital. Investigation used all data collected analysed by spss version 21 software, the MANOVA test was used.Results: In particular, 46-55 years old was in high risk of age group in cancer population, there was a statistical significant difference on death rumination disorder and employing psychological defense styles with regard to age. Age groups correlated with death focus factor of death rumination disorder. Age rank correlated with sublimation, self-assertion, splitting-self, help-rejecting, undoing, affiliation factors of defense styles.Conclusions: findings of this study revealed that there is difference between age groups, death rumination disorder and psychological defense styles in cancer patients. death rumination is response of distress and death thinking which make by cancer diseases, then defense styles in patients encounter for adaptive with pressure and stressful condition of diseases.

age groups, cancer patients, death rumination, psychological defense styles