Abstract
Objective Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a common challenge of cancer survivorship, particularly in younger survivors. Maladaptive metacognitions have been shown to be important to the development of a range of emotional disorders but have not previously been explored in the context of FCR. Aims This study aimed to explore the relationship between FCR and a maladaptive metacognitions. Methods This cross-sectional study included young women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer at least 1 year prior to study entry. Participants completed a web-based questionnaire, which included the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI) and the brief Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30). Linear regression was used to calculate unadjusted and adjusted slope estimates of the association of FCR with six metacognition variables, the total score of the MCQ-30 and the five subscales. Results Two-hundred and eighteen women with a mean age of 39 years at diagnosis participated. All measures of metacognitive style were moderately correlated with FCRI scores (r = 0.31-0.49) and significantly associated with FCRI in both unadjusted and adjusted models. Overall metacognitive style explained 36% of the variance in FCR scores in combination with disease and demographic factors. Negative metacognitions (R2 = 0.32) and need for control over cognition (R2 = 0.26) were the MCQ-30 subscales most associated with higher FCR. Conclusions Unhelpful metacognitions appear to play an important role in FCR in young women with early-stage breast cancer. Treatments that focus on changing unhelpful metacognitions may prove a useful approach for treating clinical FCR in cancer survivors in the future.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2059-2063 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Psycho-Oncology |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2013 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- breast cancer
- cancer
- fear of recurrence
- metacognition
- oncology
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Oncology
- Psychiatry and Mental health