Does blaming the patient with lung cancer affect the helping behavior of primary caregivers?
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether primary caregivers' helping behaviors are predicted by their illness attribution reactions as proposed in Weiner's model.


METHODS
Latent-variable structural equation modeling.


METHODS
Five oncology outpatient settings in central Canada.


METHODS
100 dyads consisting of patients with lung cancer and their primary caregivers.


METHODS
Self-report questionnaires, abstracted medical record data, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling.


METHODS
Smoking history, judgments of responsibility for controlling the disease, anger, pride, and helping behaviors.


RESULTS
An interrelation was seen between judgments of responsibility toward patients to control aspects of the disease, affective reactions of anger and pride, and helping behavior. Anger and pride had a stronger influence on helping behavior than smoking history did.


CONCLUSIONS
Judgments of responsibility for controlling lung cancer and anger toward patients put caregivers at risk for dysfunctional helping behavior, particularly if patients had a history of tobacco use.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary caregivers' affective states directly affect their helping behavior toward patients with lung cancer. Clinicians should be aware that caregivers who perceive the patient to be largely responsible for managing the disease also may be angry toward that patient. Angry caregivers are at risk of providing suboptimal helping behavior.
Lobchuk
Michelle M
MM
Faculty of Nursing, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. michelle_lobchuk@umanitoba.ca
McClement
Susan E
SE
McPherson
Christine
C
Cheang
Mary
M
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000786:Anger; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015984:Causality; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D016014:Linear Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires