title: The relation of illness perceptions to stress, depression, and fatigue in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most prevalent adult leukaemia and is incurable. The course and treatment of CLL is unique and characterised by repeated cycles of treatment, stable disease and relapse. Utilising a Self-Regulatory Model framework, we examined the relationship between patients' illness perceptions and cancer-specific stress, depressive symptoms and fatigue. Our aim was to test illness perceptions as predictors of these outcomes when variance due to disease and treatment variables was controlled.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected on 147 patients with relapsed/refractory CLL as they entered a phase II clinical trial of an investigational medication at a university affiliated, National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cancer-specific stress, depressive symptoms and fatigue interference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  . Hierarchical multiple regression was used. Consequences and emotional representation were related to all outcomes (ps < .01). Illness concern was related to cancer-specific stress (p < .01), and identity was related to fatigue interference (p < .01). All relationships were observed while controlling for number of previous CLL therapies received.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Illness perceptions are related to cancer-specific stress, depressive symptoms and fatigue interference in relapsed/refractory CLL. Interventions targeted at restructuring maladaptive illness perceptions may have clinical benefit in this population.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , The Ohio State University , Columbus , OH , USA.
authors.forename: Travis D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Westbrook
authors.affiliation: b Division of Hematology , The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center , Columbus , OH , USA.
authors.forename: Kami
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maddocks
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , The Ohio State University , Columbus , OH , USA.
authors.forename: Barbara L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: chronic lymphocytic leukaemia; depression; fatigue; illness perceptions; stress