Goal pursuit mediates effects of a gratitude intervention on death-related fear of recurrence in breast cancer survivors
| Author(s) | Otto, Amy K. | |
| Date Accessioned | 2016-01-06T15:00:23Z | |
| Date Available | 2016-01-06T15:00:23Z | |
| Publication Date | 2015 | |
| Abstract | One of the most prevalent and distressing concerns endorsed by breast cancer survivors is fear of cancer recurrence (FOR), and one of the most salient facets is the worry that a recurrence of cancer could cause one's death. The primary goal of the present study was to test the effects of a brief gratitude intervention on overall FOR and death-related FOR, with pursuit of meaningful goals examined as a potential mediator. Positive affect (PA) was also examined as both an outcome of the intervention and as a mediator of observed effects of the intervention on FOR. Sixty-seven women with early-stage breast cancer were randomly assigned to either a six-week online gratitude intervention or a six-week online control condition. Although the intervention did not predict changes in overall FOR, results revealed that patients in the gratitude intervention experienced a significant decrease in death-related FOR compared to the control condition. Moreover, this effect was partially mediated by goal pursuit. The gratitude intervention was also found to prevent a decline in PA observed in the control condition; however, PA did not mediate the effects of the intervention on death-related FOR. Overall, findings support the notion that gratitude promotes psychological adaptation to cancer by promoting the pursuit of meaningful goals and subsequently reducing death-related FOR. | en_US |
| Advisor | Laurenceau, Jean-Philippe | |
| Degree | M.A. | |
| Department | University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences | |
| Unique Identifier | 933759151 | |
| URL | http://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/17354 | |
| Publisher | University of Delaware | en_US |
| URI | http://search.proquest.com/docview/1718184550?accountid=10457 | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Cancer -- Patients. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Breast -- Cancer -- Relapse. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Fear of death. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Gratitude. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Goal (Psychology) | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Affect (Psychology) | |
| Title | Goal pursuit mediates effects of a gratitude intervention on death-related fear of recurrence in breast cancer survivors | en_US |
| Type | Thesis | en_US |