Self-affirmation moderates effects of unrealistic optimism and pessimism on reactions to tailored risk feedback.
We examined whether self-affirmation would facilitate intentions to engage in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among individuals who were off-schedule for CRC screening and who were categorised as unrealistically optimistic, realistic or unrealistically pessimistic about their CRC risk. All participants received tailored risk feedback; in addition, one group received threatening social comparison information regarding their risk factors, a second received this information after a self-affirmation exercise and a third was a no-treatment control. When participants were unrealistically optimistic about their CRC risk (determined by comparing their perceived comparative risk to calculations from a risk algorithm), they expressed greater interest in screening if they were self-affirmed (relative to controls). Non-affirmed unrealistic optimists expressed lower interest relative to controls, suggesting that they were responding defensively. Realistic participants and unrealistically pessimistic participants who were self-affirmed expressed relatively less interest in CRC screening, suggesting that self-affirmation can be helpful or hurtful depending on the accuracy of one's risk perceptions.
Klein
William M P
WM
Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. wmklein@pitt.edu
Lipkus
Isaac M
IM
Scholl
Sarah M
SM
McQueen
Amy
A
Cerully
Jennifer L
JL
Harris
Peter R
PR
D000368:Aged; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000523:psychology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009780:Occult Blood; D011936:Reality Testing; D018570:Risk Assessment; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires