A prospective study of cancer-related benefit finding in uveal melanoma patients

• Published in: Journal of behavioral medicine Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 131 - 137
• Main Authors: Herts, Kate L., Jorge-Miller, Alexandra, Beran, Tammy M., McCannel, Tara A., Wiley, Joshua F., Stanton, Annette L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-02-2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Approach-Avoidance; Brief Report; Cancer; Cancer patients; Care and treatment; Coping; Diagnosis; Family Medicine; General Practice; Health aspects; Health Psychology; Maximum likelihood method; Medical diagnosis; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Melanoma; Positive emotions; Post-traumatic growth; Prognosis; Psychological aspects; Psychosocial factors; Quality of life; Skin melanoma; Social aspects; United States; Uveal melanoma; Benefit finding; Post-traumatic growth; Choroidal melanoma; Stress-related growth; Cancer
• ISSN: 0160-7715; 1573-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s10865-020-00175-w

Little is known about contributors to the psychosocial impact of uveal melanoma, a rare cancer. Predictors and outcomes of benefit finding, a potentially favorable outcome, were investigated. Adults (n = 107) completed assessments prior to diagnosis of uveal melanoma and one week, three months and 12 months after diagnosis. Path analyses with the full information maximum likelihood estimation method were conducted. Objective disease impact on vision did not predict benefit finding (
p
 > .05). Approach-oriented coping prior to diagnosis and one week later significantly predicted greater benefit finding 12 months later (
p
 < .01). Avoidance-oriented coping at three months moderated the concurrent relationship of benefit finding and positive affect at 12 months (
p
 < .001). This first study of predictors of benefit finding in uveal melanoma patients suggests that greater approach-oriented coping prospectively predicts higher benefit finding. Further, avoidance may condition the association of benefit finding with psychosocial outcomes.