Early detection of testicular cancer: revisiting the role of self-efficacy in testicular self-examination among young asymptomatic males.
Research suggests that self-efficacy is an important factor in behaviors that facilitate the early-detection of various cancers. In general people with high self-efficacy are more likely to attend cancer screening sessions or perform bodily self-exams. However, there is a paucity of research focusing on testicular cancer and testicular self-examination (TSE). The effect of self-efficacy on TSE remains unclear especially given the relative obscurity of the testicular cancer threat, and appropriate clinical- and self-detection procedures, in the young asymptomatic male population. Thus, the present study tested the interaction of self-efficacy with young men's appraisals of the threat of testicular cancer. The study was based on 2 × 2 × 2 mixed factorial experimental design. Over 100 young asymptomatic men were exposed to a health warning about testicular cancer and randomly assigned to high/low self-efficacy, vulnerability, and severity conditions. High self-efficacy increased motivation to perform TSE given high vulnerability, but damaged attitudes to self-exams given low vulnerability and severity estimates. High self-efficacy also facilitated subsequent TSE. Overall, these findings support preexisting notions of self-efficacy but raise new questions about the moderating effects of threat appraisals.
Umeh
Kanayo
K
School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK. f.k.umeh@ljmu.ac.uk.
Chadwick
Rebecca
R
Papworth Hospital NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK. Rebecca.Chadwick@papworth.nhs.uk.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008571:Men; D009042:Motivation; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016353:Self-Examination; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
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