Otto, Amy K.2018-12-032018-12-032018http://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/23955Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is one of the most commonly-reported and distressing concerns of both cancer survivors (e.g., Allen, Savadatti, & Levy, 2009; Baker, Denniston, Smith, & West, 2005) and their partners (e.g., Hodges & Humphris, 2009; Mellon, Kershaw, Northouse, & Freeman-Gibb, 2007). Most research acknowledges that FCR is a multidimensional construct, consisting of at least cognitive and emotional components; however, few have actually distinguished between or assessed both of these components, despite their potentially unique implications for adjustment to cancer (Park, Cho, Blank, & Wortmann, 2013). The goal of the proposed study was to contribute to a better understanding of the definition and nature of FCR in both breast cancer patients and their partners by identifying its putative cognitive and emotional components (eFCR and cFCR, respectively), describing the longitudinal course of these components over the first year after diagnosis, and examining the ways in which the components of FCR may affect each other within a dyadic context. Results suggested that FCR is indeed better conceptualized as two separate but related cognitive and emotional factors. In both patients and their partners, levels of emotional FCR were found to decrease on average over the course of the first year post-diagnosis, while cognitive FCR exhibited a flat trajectory over this same time period. Within a dyadic context, it was found that an individual’s emotional FCR was not predictive of later eFCR in themselves or their partner, nor was it predictive of later perceived risk in their partner. However, within the same individual, lower perceived risk and greater eFCR each predicted later elevated perceived risk. Overall, results support the idea of FCR as a multidimensional construct and underscore the importance of distinguishing between emotional and cognitive components of FCR in future research.PsychologyHealth and environmental sciencesBreast cancerFear of cancer recurrenceHealth anxietyPerceived riskThesis1076872725https://doi.org/10.58088/5tca-61492018-10-17en