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Is Optimism an asset in cancer disease?

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Bibliographic Details
Summary:This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between optimism, psychological morbidity and satisfaction with the social support in a sample of cancer patients. A sample of 46 participants diagnosed with cancer from the Oncology Service at São Marcos Hospital (Braga) participated in the study. Subjects filled the following questionnaires: a Socio-Demographic Questionnaire developed by Pereira and Amorim for the study’s purpose; Life Orientation Test-R (Scheier, Carver & Bridges, 1994); Stress, Depression and Anxiety Scales – 21 (Pais-Ribeiro, Honrado & Leal, 2004a) and the Social Support Satisfaction Scale (Santos, Pais-Ribeiro & Lopes, 2003). The results showed that optimism and psychological morbidity are associated, i.e. oncologic patients with higher levels of optimism present less psychological morbidity. In this sample, married patients present lower levels of depression when compared with single, divorced or widows patients. No associations were found between satisfaction with social support and optimism, however, satisfaction with social support and psychological morbidity were significantly correlated.Implications for intervention are addressed.
Main Authors:Amorim , Liliana
Other Authors:Pereira, M. Graça
Subject:cancro optimismo morbilidade psicológica suporte social cancer optimism psychological morbidity social support
Year:2009
Country:Portugal
Document type:article
Access type:unknown
Associated institution:Associação de Enfermagem Oncológica Portuguesa
Language:Portuguese
Origin:Onco.News
Description
Summary:This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between optimism, psychological morbidity and satisfaction with the social support in a sample of cancer patients. A sample of 46 participants diagnosed with cancer from the Oncology Service at São Marcos Hospital (Braga) participated in the study. Subjects filled the following questionnaires: a Socio-Demographic Questionnaire developed by Pereira and Amorim for the study’s purpose; Life Orientation Test-R (Scheier, Carver & Bridges, 1994); Stress, Depression and Anxiety Scales – 21 (Pais-Ribeiro, Honrado & Leal, 2004a) and the Social Support Satisfaction Scale (Santos, Pais-Ribeiro & Lopes, 2003). The results showed that optimism and psychological morbidity are associated, i.e. oncologic patients with higher levels of optimism present less psychological morbidity. In this sample, married patients present lower levels of depression when compared with single, divorced or widows patients. No associations were found between satisfaction with social support and optimism, however, satisfaction with social support and psychological morbidity were significantly correlated.Implications for intervention are addressed.