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On the positive relation between received social support and negative affect: a test of the triage and self‐esteem threat models in women with breast cancer
Author(s) -
Lepore Stephen J.,
Glaser Debra B.,
Roberts Katherine J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.1347
Subject(s) - affect (linguistics) , distress , social support , self esteem , psychology , triage , clinical psychology , breast cancer , social psychology , developmental psychology , cancer , medicine , psychiatry , communication
Objective : There is a seemingly paradoxical positive relation between received social support and psychological distress in cancer patients. This study evaluates two models that explain this positive relation: (a) the triage model, which argues that more distressed people receive more support and (b) the self‐esteem threat model, which argues that receiving support increases distress by undermining self‐esteem. Methods : Longitudinal survey data were collected from 71 women treated for breast cancer at 3‐ (T1) and 18‐months (T2) post‐diagnosis Results : Analyses did not disconfirm either model. Consistent with the triage model, there was a marginally significant ( p =0.052) positive relation between T1 negative affect and T2 received support, controlling for T1‐received support. Consistent with the self‐esteem threat model, a significant positive relation between T1 received support and T2 negative affect, controlling for T1 negative affect, appeared to be mediated by T2 self‐esteem. Conclusions : These findings suggest that people with cancer who are most distressed may receive the most social support, but the conveyance of support can have negative consequences for self‐esteem and affect. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.