TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceived breast cancer risk, social support, and distress among a community-based sample of women
AU - Kinsinger, Sarah W.
AU - McGregor, Bonnie A.
AU - Bowen, Deborah J.
PY - 2009/4
Y1 - 2009/4
N2 - Four dimensions of perceived social support (emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, positive social interaction) were examined as moderators of the effect of perceived breast cancer risk on distress in a cross-sectional sample of 1,366 women recruited from the general population. Heightened perceived breast cancer risk predicted higher levels of depression, but only among women who reported low levels of perceived emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, and positive social interaction support. Tangible and positive social interaction support mitigated the negative effect of heightened risk perception on anxiety. Perceived breast cancer risk was associated with greater cancer worry, regardless of the degree of social support perception. However, this association was weaker for women who perceived greater positive social interaction support. The results suggest that women's perceptions of social support availability can protect them against some of the adverse emotional consequences of heightened breast cancer risk perceptions.
AB - Four dimensions of perceived social support (emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, positive social interaction) were examined as moderators of the effect of perceived breast cancer risk on distress in a cross-sectional sample of 1,366 women recruited from the general population. Heightened perceived breast cancer risk predicted higher levels of depression, but only among women who reported low levels of perceived emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, and positive social interaction support. Tangible and positive social interaction support mitigated the negative effect of heightened risk perception on anxiety. Perceived breast cancer risk was associated with greater cancer worry, regardless of the degree of social support perception. However, this association was weaker for women who perceived greater positive social interaction support. The results suggest that women's perceptions of social support availability can protect them against some of the adverse emotional consequences of heightened breast cancer risk perceptions.
KW - Cancer worry
KW - Distress
KW - Perceived cancer risk
KW - Social support
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67649752282&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67649752282&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07347330902776002
DO - 10.1080/07347330902776002
M3 - Article
C2 - 19337931
AN - SCOPUS:67649752282
SN - 0734-7332
VL - 27
SP - 230
EP - 247
JO - Journal of Psychosocial Oncology
JF - Journal of Psychosocial Oncology
IS - 2
ER -