Table 3 Coping in men with prostate cancer
From: Psychological adjustment of men with prostate cancer: a review of the literature
Study | Design | Characteristics of the sample | Major Findings |
|---|---|---|---|
Bjork et al. (1999) | • Cross-sectional study – mail-out survey using the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, The Life Orientation Test, Beck Depression Inventory and the Stait-Trait Anxiety Inventory | • 30 usable responses (mean 62 years since diagnosis) from 55 questionnaires distributed | • Completed a range of distress-related and self-esteem measures • Helplessness related to lower self-esteem; Loss appraisals to depression; threat appraisals to anxiety; optimism negatively related to depression and anxiety |
Helgeson and Lepore (1997) | • Cross-sectional study – mail-out using the CARES and several measures developed for the study | • 162 usable responses from 258 questionnaires distributed Most (83%) were radical prostatectomies, a mean of 13 months since diagnosis | • Self-focused identity associated with worse functioning, greater cancer difficulties and poorer emotional expression • Expressed emotion mediated the links between self-identity and cancer difficulties |
Lepore and Helgeson (1998) | • Cross-sectional study – mail-out using MHI-5, Impact of Events Scale, and CARES | • 181 usable responses from 258 questionnaires distributed Most (83%) were radical prostatectomies, a mean of 13 months since diagnosis | • Social constraints in talking about cancer moderated trauma and mental health relationships • Conclusion: Supportive social networks may promote psychological adjustment by facilitating cognitive processing of the cancer experience |
Penedo et al. (2003) | • Cross-sectional study using the Life Orientation Test-Revised and Measure of Current Status | • 46 radical prostatectomy patients recruited to a stress management study | • Optimism, perceived stress management skills, and positive mood were correlated • Relationship between optimism and positive mood might be mediated by perceived stress management skills. |
Zakowski et al. (2003) | • Cross-sectional study comparing men and women with cancer using the Social Constraints Scale, The Emotional Expressivity Scale, the Impact of Events Scale and the Profile of Mood States | • 41 men with PCA and 41 women with gynaecological cancer | • Men experienced greater distress in association with social constraints from their partners than did the women • Men might have fewer outlets for emotional expression so constraints from partners might lead to greater distress. |