Anger suppression mediates the relationship between optimism and natural killer cell cytotoxicity in men treated for localized prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated relations among optimism, depression, anger suppression and natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC) in 61 men treated for localized prostate cancer (PC).


METHODS
All participants were assessed at a single time point where demographics, optimism, depression and anger suppression were measured. We also collected peripheral venous blood to assess NKCC.


RESULTS
Results showed that greater optimism was associated with greater NKCC (beta=.27, P<.05), less depression (beta=-.63, P<.001) and less anger suppression (beta=-.29, P<.05). Furthermore, less anger suppression (beta=-.35, P<.01) was associated with greater NKCC. In a hierarchical regression model controlling for depression and then anger suppression, the relationship between optimism and NKCC became nonsignificant [beta=.18, t(56)=1.51, P=.14], while anger suppression remained significantly correlated with NKCC [beta=-.29, t(56)=-2.40, P<.05].


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that optimism is associated with NKCC and a greater ability to adaptively express anger. Furthermore, it appears that less anger suppression partially mediates the relationship between optimism and NKCC.
Department of Psychology, University of Miami, P.O. Box 248185, Coral Gables, FL 33124-2070, USA. fpenedo@miami.edu
Frank J
FJ
Penedo
Jason R
JR
Dahn
Dave
D
Kinsinger
Michael H
MH
Antoni
Ivan
I
Molton
Jeffrey S
JS
Gonzalez
Mary Anne
MA
Fletcher
Bernard
B
Roos
Charles S
CS
Carver
Neil
N
Schneiderman
D000368:Aged; D000786:Anger; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*