Outcome expectations and self-regulation in cancer patients: reliability, initial factor structure, and relationships with benefit finding.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this research was to investigate outcome expectation and self-regulation measures within a sample of cancer patients and to explore relationships of these variables with benefit finding. The outcome expectation and self-regulation measures were evaluated for reliability and initial factor structure.


METHODS
A convenience sample of 141 cancer patients completed study measures while waiting for appointments at a cancer center.


RESULTS
The measures demonstrated good reliability (alphas = .88 and .92, for outcome expectation and self-regulation respectively). Initial factor structure suggested six outcome expectation factors (managing symptoms, expressing emotions, talking about cancer, learning about cancer, managing self-image, and managing needs) and one self-regulation factor. Gender and treatment status were related to outcome expectations but not self-regulation. Outcome expectations and self-regulation were significant predictors of benefit-finding, F(8, 80) = 3.1, p = .005.


CONCLUSIONS
Measures of outcome expectations and self-regulation are reliable, are related to gender and clinical variables, and may be useful as predictors of cancer patients' ability to find benefits in their cancer experience.
Graves
Kristi D
KD
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29435, USA. kdg9@georgetown.edu
Carter
Cindy L
CL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States