title: Profiles of Dispositional Expectancies and Affectivity Predict Later Psychosocial Functioning in Children and Adolescents With Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examined how individual differences in disposition among pediatric cancer patients predict their later psychosocial functioning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged 8-17 years (N = 223) reported on their disposition at baseline. One and three years later, self-reports and parent reports of patient psychosocial functioning were obtained. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups that differed on baseline disposition and to compare them on later outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three groups were identified: The "Positive" group (59%) had high optimism and positive affectivity and low pessimism and negative affectivity; the "Moderate" group (39%) had a similar profile, with less exaggerated scores; a small, "Negative" group (2%) had the opposite profile (low optimism/positive affectivity; high pessimism/negative affectivity). These groups differed in psychosocial functioning at follow-up, generally in expected directions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients have a disposition that may be protective. A small minority at high risk for maladjustment is distinguished by their disposition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, California State University, Fullerton, Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okado
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Mississippi Medical Center.
authors.forename: Katianne M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Howard Sharp
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, and.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tillery
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
authors.forename: Alanna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, sean.phipps@stjude.org.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phipps
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D000067656:Optimism / Q000523:psychology*; D000067657:Pessimism / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: cancer; disposition; distress; pediatric; social-emotional