Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital and Semel Institute, UCLA, 760 Westwood Plaza, Room 27-371, Los Angeles, CA, 90024-1759, USA.
We examined the relations among generalized positive expectations (optimism), prostate-cancer specific expectations, and prostate cancer-related quality of life in a prospective sample of 83 men who underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) for prostate cancer. Optimism was significantly associated with higher prostate cancer-specific expectations, β = .36, p < .001. In addition, optimism and prostate cancer-specific expectations were independent prospective predictors of better scores on the following prostate cancer-related quality of life scales: Sexual Intimacy and Sexual Confidence; Masculine Self-Esteem (specific expectations only), Health Worry, Cancer Control, and Informed Decision Making (βs > .21, ps < .05). When considered simultaneously, both optimism and specific expectations contributed uniquely to better Health Worry and Cancer Control scores, optimism was a unique predictor of better Sexual Intimacy and Sexual Confidence scores, and specific expectations uniquely predicted higher scores on Informed Decision Making. Although optimism and prostate-cancer specific expectations are related, they contribute uniquely to several prostate cancer-related quality of life outcomes following RALP and may be important targets for quality of life research with this population.
Written by:
Thornton AA, Perez MA, Oh S, Crocitto L. Are you the author?
Reference: J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2011 Nov 5. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1007/s10880-011-9270-3
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22051931
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