Coping with prostate cancer : A meta-analytic review

• Published in: Journal of behavioral medicine Vol. 28; no. 3; pp. 281 - 293
• Main Authors: ROESCH, Scott C, ADAMS, Linda, HINES, Amanda, PALMORES, Alan, VYAS, Pearlin, TRAN, Cindy, PEKIN, Shannon, VAUGHN, Allison A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer 01.06.2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adjustment; Anxiety; Biological and medical sciences; Comorbidity; Coping; Erectile dysfunction; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Illness and personality; Illness, stress and coping; Male; Medical diagnosis; Medical sciences; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Prostate cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - psychology; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Quality of life; Tumors of the urinary system; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; Prostate disease; Disease; Anxiety disorder; Male; Cognition; Review; Metaanalysis; Self esteem; Coping; Male genital diseases; Mood disorder; Human; Urinary system disease; Attitude; meta-analysis; Depression; Emotion emotionality; Malignant tumor; Stress; Quality of life; Symptomatology; Psychological distress; Problem solving; adjustment; cancer; Prostate cancer; Comparative study; Somatic disease
• ISSN: 0160-7715; 1573-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s10865-005-4664-z

The present meta-analytic review assessed the relations between coping categories and indices of adjustment in men with prostate cancer. Relevant methodological and statistical information was extracted from 33 target studies (n = 3,133 men with prostate cancer). Men with prostate cancer who used approach, problem-focused, and emotion-focused coping were healthier both psychologically and physically, although the effect sizes for problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping were more modest. For approach coping these effect sizes were particularly strong for measures of self-esteem, positive affect, depression, and anxiety. Conversely, men with prostate cancer who used avoidance coping experienced heightened negative psychological adjustment and physical health, and particularly for measures of positive mood and physical functioning. The findings of this study suggest that active approaches to coping with prostate cancer are beneficial psychologically, physically, and are positively associated with a return to pre-cancer activities.