title: How attachment style and locus of control influence patients' trust in their oncologist.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cancer patients need to trust their oncologist. How the oncologist communicates probably contributes to patients' trust. Yet, patient characteristics such as their attachment style and health locus of control may influence how such communication is perceived. We examined how these personality characteristics influence trust as well as moderate the relation between oncologist communication and trust.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight videotaped scenarios of an oncologic consultation were created. Oncologist communication was systematically varied regarding their expressed competence, honesty and caring. Cancer patients (n = 345) were randomly assigned to view the videos and report their trust in the observed oncologist. Patients' self-reported attachment style, health locus of control and trust in their own oncologist were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with a stronger external health locus of control trusted the observed oncologist more (p < .001). Neither attachment avoidance nor attachment anxiety was related to trust in the observed oncologist. However, attachment avoidance moderated the positive effect of the oncologists' communication of caring and honesty on trust: avoidant attachment significantly diminished the effect (p < .011 and p < .044, respectively). High attachment avoidance (p = .003) and attachment anxiety (p < .001) were related to weaker trust in patients' own oncologist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients' attachment avoidance may hamper their trust in their own, but not necessarily in a newly observed, oncologist. As expected, patients' attachment style influences how oncologist communication influences trust, underscoring the importance of oncologists tailoring their communication to individual patients. We confirmed observational findings that patients convinced that others control their health trust their oncologist more than others.
authors: Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: M.A.Hillen@amc.uva.nl.
authors: Marij A
authors: MA
authors: Hillen
authors: Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Hanneke C J M
authors: HC
authors: de Haes
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Lukas J A
authors: LJ
authors: Stalpers
authors: Department of Surgery, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Jean H G
authors: JH
authors: Klinkenbijl
authors: Department of Surgery, Deventer Hospital, Deventer, The Netherlands.
authors: Eric-Hans
authors: EH
authors: Eddes
authors: Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Mathilde G E
authors: MG
authors: Verdam
authors: Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Ellen M A
authors: EM
authors: Smets
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D035502:Trust; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Attachment; Locus of control; Oncology; Physician–patient relations; Trust; Videotaped consultations