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Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine 3/2016

01-06-2016 | Original Article

Dispositional and Situational Avoidance and Approach as Predictors of Physical Symptom Bother Following Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Authors: Margaret R. Bauer, MA, Lauren N. Harris, MA, Joshua F. Wiley, PhD, Catherine M. Crespi, PhD, Jennifer L. Krull, PhD, Karen L. Weihs, MD, Annette L. Stanton, PhD

Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 3/2016

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Abstract

Background

Few studies examine whether dispositional approach and avoidance coping and stressor-specific coping strategies differentially predict physical adjustment to cancer-related stress.

Purpose

This study examines dispositional and situational avoidance and approach coping as unique predictors of the bother women experience from physical symptoms after breast cancer treatment, as well as whether situational coping mediates the prediction of bother from physical symptoms by dispositional coping.

Method

Breast cancer patients (N = 460) diagnosed within the past 3 months completed self-report measures of dispositional coping at study entry and of situational coping and bother from physical symptoms every 6 weeks through 6 months.

Results

In multilevel structural equation modeling analyses, both dispositional and situational avoidance predict greater symptom bother. Dispositional, but not situational, approach predicts less symptom bother. Supporting mediation models, dispositional avoidance predicts more symptom bother indirectly through greater situational avoidance. Dispositional approach predicts less symptom bother through less situational avoidance.

Conclusion

Psychosocial interventions to reduce cancer-related avoidance coping are warranted for cancer survivors who are high in dispositional avoidance and/or low in dispositional approach.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Dispositional and Situational Avoidance and Approach as Predictors of Physical Symptom Bother Following Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Authors
Margaret R. Bauer, MA
Lauren N. Harris, MA
Joshua F. Wiley, PhD
Catherine M. Crespi, PhD
Jennifer L. Krull, PhD
Karen L. Weihs, MD
Annette L. Stanton, PhD
Publication date
01-06-2016
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Annals of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 3/2016
Print ISSN: 0883-6612
Electronic ISSN: 1532-4796
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9763-7

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