Carver, C. S., Lehman, J. M., & Antoni, M. H. (2003). Dispositional pessimism predicts illness-related disruption of social and recreational activities among breast cancer patients. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 813-821.
We tested whether dispositional pessimism would predict withdrawal
from
social activities among women treated for breast cancer. In a
cross-sectional
sample 3-12 months post-surgery, disruption of social and recreational
activities
(by the Sickness Impact Profile) correlated with concurrently assessed
pessimism.
This association appeared mediated by emotional distress and fatigue. A
longitudinal
sample was studied shortly post-surgery and over the next year. Initial
pessimism
predicted disruption of social activities concurrently and
prospectively
(3, 6, and 12 months later), but predicted change in disruption from
one
time to the next only at final follow-up. These associations appeared
partially
mediated by distress. We conclude pessimism places patients at risk for
adverse
outcomes in several respects, rather than solely with regard to
emotional
distress.
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