Abstract
Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a commonly reported barrier that can make regular exercise challenging for cancer survivors (CS). How individuals perceive exercise and CRF may be related to individual differences. Peterson (2000) suggests that state optimism may be an individual difference which affects adaptive cognitions in a specific context. Further, the Model of Social Problem-Solving (D’Zurilla and Nezu, 2007) suggests that the individual difference of problem-solving orientation (PSO) is associated with adaptive thinking. Our purpose was to examine whether CS state optimism/pessimism about exercising with CRF was related to differential (1) social cognitions linked to exercise adherence (self-regulatory efficacy [SRE], anticipated persistence, and decisional struggle) and (2) PSO. Survivors (N = 55; M age = 52.9, SD = 8.0) experiencing CRF, currently in treatment and/or recently diagnosed, were engaged in exercise. Participants reported state optimistic/pessimistic thoughts about exercising with CRF and completed measures of social cognitions and PSO. MANOVA revealed an optimist/pessimist difference on social cognitions and PSO, Wilk’s lambda = .77, p < .05, partial eta2 = .23, observed power = .80. Follow-up discriminant analysis confirmed that social cognitions and PSO discriminated optimists/pessimists (p < .05), with decisional struggle contributing most. State optimists were more adaptive than pessimists. Findings support theoretical contentions, suggesting a possible advantage of optimistic thinking for exercising CS. Possible implications for promoting exercise adherence will be discussed.Acknowledgments: SSHRC Doctoral Award & Canada Research Chair training funds