Longitudinal course and predictors of communication and affect management self-efficacy among women newly diagnosed with gynecological cancers Journal Article


Authors: Manne, S. L.; Kashy, D. A.; Kissane, D. W.; Ozga, M.; Virtue, S. M.; Heckman, C. J.
Article Title: Longitudinal course and predictors of communication and affect management self-efficacy among women newly diagnosed with gynecological cancers
Abstract: Objective: Self-efficacy is an important psychological resource to assist people in managing chronic illness and has been associated with psychological outcomes among patients coping with cancer. Little is known about the course of self-efficacy among gynecological cancer patients coping with cancer and the sociodemographic, medical, and psychological factors that are associated with the course of self-efficacy among these patients. Methods: One hundred twenty-five women recently diagnosed with gynecological cancer completed a measure of communication and affective management self-efficacy at baseline, 5 weeks, 9 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and 18 months post-baseline. Participants also completed measures of functional impairment, holding back, perceived unsupportive behaviors of family and friends, emotional expressivity, cancer concerns, depressive symptoms, cancer-specific intrusions and avoidance, problem-solving, and positive reappraisal coping. Results: Growth curve modeling suggested that women varied considerably in their average reports of self-efficacy and varied with regard to their linear trajectories of self-efficacy over time. Average affect management self-efficacy increased significantly over time. Greater functional impairment, more holding back, more unsupportive responses from friends and family, less emotional expressivity, more cancer concerns, depression, intrusions, or avoidance predicted lower average self-efficacy over time. Women who were less emotionally expressive or held back sharing concerns less reported lower self-efficacy which increased over time. Conclusions: It will be important for providers to identify gynecological cancer patients who report low ability to communicate feelings and needs and manage emotional reactions to cancer and offer them interventions which bolster self-efficacy. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Keywords: adult; middle aged; major clinical study; cancer diagnosis; endometrium cancer; demography; ovary cancer; peritoneum cancer; depression; uterine cervix cancer; distress syndrome; self concept; interpersonal communication; coping behavior; problem solving; uterine tube carcinoma; educational status; marriage; income; longitudinal study; family; race; avoidance behavior; self-efficacy; impact of events scale; vulva cancer; female genital tract cancer; functional disease; vagina cancer; friend; beck depression inventory; gynecological cancer; human; female; priority journal; article; likert scale; married person; holding back; emotional expressivity; facial recognition
Journal Title: Supportive Care in Cancer
Volume: 28
Issue: 4
ISSN: 0941-4355
Publisher: Springer Verlag  
Date Published: 2020-04-01
Start Page: 1929
End Page: 1939
Language: English
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-019-04989-6
PUBMED: 31367918
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC6994366
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 1 April 2020 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Melissa Lynn Ozga
    16 Ozga