The role of appearance investment in the adjustment of women with breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Appearance investment can be considered an important factor in the explanation of individual differences in adjustment to breast cancer. This study aims to analyze the role of this variable on a set of adjustment outcomes, namely, quality of life (QOL), emotional adjustment (depression and anxiety) and fear of negative evaluations. The differential role of motivational salience facet of appearance investment (MS; the individual's efforts to be or feel attractive), conceptualized as a protective factor, and of self-evaluative salience facet (SES; the importance an individual places on physical appearance for their definition of self-worth), conceptualized as a vulnerability factor, is explored.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 117 Portuguese breast cancer patients (mean age=52.47; SD=8.81), on average 2.32 months (SD=2.17) post-diagnosis. Appearance investment was measured by the ASI-R; QOL by the WHOQOL-bref; emotional adjustment by the HADS; and fear of negative evaluations by the FNE (Portuguese versions). Several hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted for each outcome, using investment facets as a predictor variable.


RESULTS
Both facets of investment contributed to the explanation of social (p<or=0.001) and psychological (p<or=0.001) QOL and also depression (p<or=0.001), with SES being associated with poorer results and MS with better outcomes. SES also predicted higher levels of fear of negative evaluations (p<or=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This study provided significant information about the role of appearance investment in the adjustment of breast cancer patients and added empirical support to SES-MS distinction.
Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. helena.tcmoreira@gmail.com
Helena
H
Moreira
Sónia
S
Silva
Maria Cristina
MC
Canavarro
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001828:Body Image; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D011174:Portugal; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires