Information Coping Style Research Articles

Feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of virtual reality as a patient education tool for people with cancer undergoing immunotherapy: a protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study in a regional setting

IntroductionPatient education is a critical component of healthcare delivery. However, medical information and knowledge are complex and can be difficult for patients and families to comprehend when delivered verbally. The...

Need for numbers: assessing cancer survivors’ needs for personalized and generic statistical information

BackgroundStatistical information (e.g., on long-term survival or side effects) may be valuable for healthcare providers to share with their patients to facilitate shared decision making on treatment options. In this pre-registered study, we assessed cancer survivors’ need for generic (population-based) versus personalized (tailored towards patient/tumor characteristics) statistical information after their diagnosis. We examined how information coping style, subjective numeracy, and anxiety levels of survivors relate to these needs and identified statistical need profiles. Additionally, we qualitatively explored survivors’ considerations for (not) wanting statistical information.MethodsCancer survivors’ need for statistics regarding incidence, survival, recurrence, side effects and quality of life were assessed with an online questionnaire. For each of these topics, survivors were asked to think back to their first cancer diagnosis and to indicate their need for generic and personalized statistics on a 4-point scale (‘not at all’- ‘very much’). Associations between information coping style, subjective numeracy, and anxiety with need for generic and personalized statistics were examined with Pearson’s correlations. Statistical need profiles were identified using latent class analysis. Considerations for (not) wanting statistics were analyzed qualitatively.ResultsOverall, cancer survivors (n = 174) had a higher need for personalized than for generic statistics (p < .001, d = 0.74). Need for personalized statistics was associated with higher subjective numeracy (r = .29) and an information-seeking coping style (r = .41). Three statistical need profiles were identified (1) a strong need for both generic and personalized statistics (34%), (2) a stronger need for personalized than for generic statistics (55%), and (3) a little need for both generic and personalized statistics (11%). Considerations for wanting personalized cancer statistics ranged from feelings of being in control to making better informed decisions about treatment. Considerations for not wanting statistics related to negative experience with statistics and to the unpredictability of future events for individual patients.ConclusionsIn light of the increased possibilities for using personalized statistics in clinical practice and decision aids, it appears that most cancer survivors want personalized statistical information during treatment decision-making. Subjective numeracy and information coping style seem important factors influencing this need. We encourage further development and implementation of data-driven personalized decision support technologies in oncological care to support patients in treatment decision making.

Coping With Information Style, Self-Concealment, Internalized Stigma, and Family Burden Among Parents of Children With Psychiatric Disorders.

Parents of children with psychiatric disorders who are hospitalized in a psychiatric unit often experience family burden. Family burden has been found to be affected by many variables related to parents' personal traits and ways of reacting to the disorder. The current study examined the association between information coping styles (monitoring and blunting) and family burden, among parents of children who were hospitalized in a day care unit. The possible role of self-stigma as a mediator between coping style and family burden and the role of self-concealment as a moderator between coping style and self-stigma were examined. A total of 41 parents completed questionnaires assessing their levels of self-stigma, information coping style, self-concealment, and family burden. Self-stigma was found to mediate the positive association between the monitoring coping style and family burden. Moreover, a moderation effect of self-concealment was found, indicating that monitoring parents suffered from higher levels of self-stigma particularly if they had a high tendency toward self-concealment. Taking into account parents' information, coping style, self-stigma, and self-concealment can help professionals tailor family interventions according to parents' diverse needs. A monitoring coping style may not be beneficial especially when combined with concealment, suggesting the need to promote other coping styles.

Decisional conflict in breast cancer patients considering immediate breast reconstruction

BackgroundBreast cancer (BC) patients who are treated with mastectomy are frequently offered immediate breast reconstruction. This study aimed to assess decisional conflict in patients considering immediate breast reconstruction, and to identify factors associated with clinically significant decisional conflict (CSDC). MethodsBaseline data of a multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of an online decision aid for BC patients considering immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy were analyzed. Participants completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, decisional conflict and other patient-reported outcomes related to decision-making such as breast reconstruction preference, knowledge, information resources used, preferred involvement in decision-making, information coping style, and anxiety. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with CSDC (score > 37.5 on decisional conflict). ResultsOf the 250 participants, 68% experienced CSDC. Patients with a slight preference for breast reconstruction (odds ratio (OR) = 6.19, p < .01), with no preference for or against breast reconstruction (OR = 11.84, p < .01), and with a strong preference for no breast reconstruction (OR = 5.20, p < .05) were more likely to experience CSDC than patients with a strong preference for breast reconstruction. Furthermore, patients with more anxiety were more likely to experience CSDC (OR = 1.03, p = .01). ConclusionA majority of BC patients who consider immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy experience clinically significant decisional conflict. The findings emphasize the need for decision support, especially for patients who do not have a strong preference for breast reconstruction.

Maladaptive coping with the infodemic and sleep disturbance in the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID‐19 is caused by a novel virus with an unknown aetiology. People across the globe are dealing with not only a health crisis but also an ‘infodemic’, a term coined by the World Health Organization to refer to the avalanche of contradictory information that is arousing widespread confusion and anxiety. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of anxiety and sleep disturbance at the early stage of the pandemic, and unveil the information coping process underlying differential susceptibility to COVID‐19 infection anxiety and sleep disturbance. The participants were 1,270 adults (47% men, M age = 42.82) from the UK and US who completed initial (Time 1) and follow‐up (Time 2) surveys from 16 to 22 March and 18 to 24 May 2020, respectively. The prevalence of probable clinically relevant anxiety was 61% and 45% at the first and second time points, and more than half of the participants in this anxiety group also reported mild to severe sleep disturbance. Moreover, 41% of the participants perceived themselves as not having enough COVID‐19‐related information and reported higher levels of COVID‐19 infection anxiety and sleep disturbance over time than those who perceived themselves as having enough of such information. Moderated mediation analysis identified two groups who were more vulnerable to both psychological problems: high blunters who sought COVID‐19‐related information online more frequently and high monitors who sought such information offline less frequently. These findings highlight the importance of a good match between information coping style and strategy deployment in dealing with an infodemic surrounding a novel disease.

Patients' information coping styles influence the benefit of a survivorship care plan in the ROGY Care Trial: New insights for tailored delivery.

BackgroundIn efforts to improve the implementation of survivorship care plans (SCPs), the authors assessed whether the impact of SCPs on patient‐reported outcomes differed between patients with an information‐seeking coping style (monitoring) versus those with an information‐avoiding coping style (blunting).MethodsIn the Registration System Oncological Gynecology (ROGY) Care Trial, 12 hospitals in the Netherlands were randomized to deliver SCP care or usual care. All patients with newly diagnosed endometrial and ovarian cancer in the SCP care arm received an SCP that was generated automatically by their oncology provider through the web‐based ROGY registration system. Outcomes (satisfaction with information provision and care, illness perceptions, and health care use) were measured directly after initial treatment and after 6, 12, and 24 months. Information coping style was measured at 12 months after initial treatment.ResultsAmong patients who had a monitoring coping style (N = 123), those in the SCP care arm reported higher satisfaction with information provision (mean score: 73.9 vs 63.9, respectively; P = .04) and care (mean score: 74.5 vs 69.2, respectively; P = .03) compared with those in the usual care arm. Among patients who had a blunting coping style (N = 102), those in the SCP care arm reported a higher impact of the disease on life (mean score: 5.0 vs 4.5, respectively; P = .02) and a higher emotional impact of the disease (mean score: 5.4 vs 4.2, respectively; P = .01) compared with those in the usual care arm.ConclusionsSCPs may be beneficial for patients who desire information about their disease, whereas SCPs may be less beneficial for patients who avoid medical information, suggesting a need for tailored SCP delivery to improve survivorship care.

Effect of Information of Patients' Coping Style on Pregastroscopy Anxiety

Examination of the relationship between patients' coping style, pregastroscopy information, and anxiety associated with gastroscopy in China was the aim of this study. A pretest, post-test, nonrandom assignment study with a two by two design was conducted. One hundred forty-five patients who underwent initial gastroscopy without sedation were classified into 2 groups on the basis of the coping style: information seekers or information avoiders using the Information Subscale of the Krantz Health Opinion Survey (KHOS-I). All participants were given standardized procedural information about gastroscopy as routine care. Half of each group was assigned to receive additional sensory information describing what sensation they would experience and how to cooperate to alleviate the discomfort. State anxiety assessed by the State Anxiety Scale of Spielberg's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, blood pressure, and pulse were measured at enrollment and before gastroscopy. The information seekers and avoiders who received additional sensory information experienced significantly less state anxiety after the intervention. In contrast, the information seekers and avoiders who received standardized procedural information maintained their preintervention state anxiety level. Most patients reported their preference for sensory information. In conclusion, the provision of sensory information could significantly reduce patients' pregastroscopy anxiety regardless of patients' information coping style.

Informational Coping Style and Depressive Symptoms in Family Decision Makers

Overwhelmed family decision makers of chronically critically ill patients must comprehend vital information to make complex treatment decisions that are consistent with patients' preferences. Exploration of informational coping styles of family decision makers may yield evidence for tailored communication practices supporting the psychological and informational needs of family decision makers. To describe patterns in the demographic characteristics and informational coping styles of family decision makers; to assess differences in informational satisfaction, role stress, and depressive symptoms between family decision makers classified as monitors and as blunters; and to describe the predictive associations between informational coping styles, informational satisfaction, and role stress on depressive symptoms in family decision makers. A secondary data analysis of 210 family decision makers of cognitively impaired patients who required 3 days or more of mechanical ventilation. On enrollment, decision makers completed the abbreviated Miller Behavioral Style Scale to assess informational coping styles, the Critical Care Family Satisfaction Survey's informational subscale to assess informational satisfaction, a single-item measure of role stress, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale to assess depressive symptoms. No associations emerged between demographic characteristics and informational coping styles of family decision makers. Monitors had higher depression scores than did blunters. Both information coping style and informational satisfaction influenced depressive symptoms; however, role stress was the most significant predictor. Family decision makers classified as monitors were at higher risk for depression than were those who seem to avoid information. Targeting monitors with additional psychological and informational support may mitigate their psychological impairment.

Response to an abnormal ovarian cancer-screening test result: Test of the social cognitive processing and cognitive social health information processing models

All cancer screening tests produce a proportion of abnormal results requiring follow up. Consequently, the cancer-screening setting is a natural laboratory for examining psychological and behavioural response to a threatening health-related event. This study tested hypotheses derived from the social cognitive processing and cognitive–social health information processing models in trying to understand response to an abnormal ovarian cancer (OC) screening test result. Women (n = 278) receiving an abnormal screening test result a mean of 7 weeks earlier were assessed prior to a repeat screening test intended to clarify their previous abnormal result. Measures of disposition (optimism, informational coping style), social environment (social support and constraint), emotional processing, distress, and benefit finding were obtained. Regression analyses indicated greater distress was associated with greater social constraint and emotional processing and a monitoring coping style in women with a family history of OC. Distress was unrelated to social support. Greater benefit finding was associated with both greater social constraint and support and greater distress. The primacy of social constraint in accounting for both benefit finding and distress was noteworthy and warrants further research on the role of social constraint in adaptation to stressful events.

Dispositional Cognitive Appraisal, Informational Coping Style, and Depressive Symptoms in Family Decision Makers of the Chronically Critically Ill

Dispositional Cognitive Appraisal, Informational Coping Style, and Depressive Symptoms in Family Decision Makers of the Chronically Critically Ill

"Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles": Response.

"Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles": Response.

"Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles": Erratum.

"Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles": Erratum.

Correspondence in informational coping styles: How important is it for cancer patients and their spouses?

The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of correspondence in informational coping style (monitoring vs. blunting) on the psychological reaction of 98 married couples where one is a cancer patient and the other is the main caregiver. The effect of correspondence and the influence of role (caregiver vs. patient) and gender were analyzed. The results showed a different pattern by gender and role. For female patients, correspondence in monitoring with their spouse was associated with their better psychological reaction, while for male patients correspondence in blunting was associated with their better psychological reaction. No effects of monitoring or interaction of monitoring with gender were found with regards to the caregiver. However, correspondence in blunting was associated with the caregiver’s worse psychological reaction. The different pattern obtained by gender and role showed that role and not information seeking style was the main factor to influence behavior. Additionally, correspondence in informational coping style does not always lead to a better psychological reaction.

Clinical, demographic, and psychological characteristics of new, asymptomatic participants in a transvaginal ultrasound screening program for ovarian cancer

Background. Attitudinal, mood, and personality variables have been identified as predictors of uptake of routine screening for a variety of cancers, including those of the breast, cervix, and colon. Little information exists, however, regarding characteristics of participants in ovarian cancer (OC) screening. Method. Asymptomatic women ( n = 312; mean age = 57.45 years; range = 26–80) were assessed immediately before undergoing an initial transvaginal sonography (TVS) screening test for ovarian cancer (OCS group). Their responses were compared to identical information obtained from an age- and education-matched group of women with no history of screening for OC (HC group). All respondents completed measures of OC-related attitudes, knowledge, beliefs and risk perceptions, dispositional characteristics (informational coping style and dispositional optimism), and psychological distress. Results. Analyses revealed the OCS group was characterized not only by more OC-specific distress and a more extensive family history of OC but also by less optimism and less knowledge of OC risk factors. Group membership was unrelated to beliefs about the efficacy of TVS screening. Conclusion. Results have implications for development of programs to increase appropriate participation in OC screening programs.

Psychological impact of benign breast biopsy: A longitudinal, comparative study.

The impact of benign breast biopsy (BBB) on distress and perceptions of risk for breast cancer (BC) was examined. Interviews were conducted with 100 women shortly after notification of biopsy results and 4 and 8 months post-BBB. Compared with matched healthy comparison (HC) women without BBB, the BBB group evidenced greater BC-specific distress at baseline. BC-specific distress declined after BBB, remaining elevated relative to the HC group at the 8-month follow-up. Dispositional (optimism, informational coping style), demographic (education), clinical (family history of BC), and cognitive (BC risk perception) variables were associated with baseline levels of BC-specific distress or persistence of distress. Results support the monitoring process model (S. M. Miller, 1995) and the cognitive social health information processing model (S. M. Miller, Y. Shoda, & K. Hurley, 1996).

Adherence to recommendations for clinical follow-up after benign breast biopsy.

Women who undergo a benign breast biopsy are at elevated risk for the subsequent development of breast cancer (BC). Therefore, appropriate clinical follow-up of a benign breast biopsy is important. The present study examines the extent and correlates of nonadherence with follow-up recommendations after a benign breast biopsy. Women (n = 114) who had undergone a benign breast biopsy completed an initial telephone interview within 50 days of their biopsy (mean = 21 days). Additional telephone interviews were completed at 4 and 8 months post-biopsy. Measures of BC risk perception, general and BC-specific distress, BC-related attitudes and beliefs, social support, optimism, and informational coping style were completed. Specific recommendations for clinical follow-up and evidence of actual follow-up were obtained from medical records. Of 103 women given a specific recommendation for clinical follow-up, 34% were classified as nonadherent with follow-up recommendations. Logistic regression analyses indicated that nonadherent women were characterized by younger age, recommendations for follow-up by clinical breast examination alone, greater confidence in their ability to perform breast self-examination properly, higher perceived personal risk for BC, and greater BC-specific distress. Despite the importance of appropriate clinical follow-up of a benign breast biopsy, about one-third of women did not adhere to recommended follow-up. Risk factors for nonadherence suggest potential avenues for interventions to enhance participation in appropriate clinical follow-up.

Distress after miscarriage: Relation to the knowledge of the cause of pregnancy loss and coping style

This study examines the effects of the knowledge of the cause of pregnancy loss and informational coping style on the levels of distress after miscarriage. Psychological assessment was conducted immediately before and after the miscarriage follow - up session, and at 4 months post - miscarriage (N = 124). A significant decrease in the levels of anxiety and an improvement in positive mood was observed after the follow-up session, regardless of the informational coping style and whether a specific cause of miscarriage was found.

Informational Coping Styles: A Validity Study

Informational coping style may be an important determinant of coping with threatening situations that has important implications in terms of matching nursing interventions to patients. Two studies were conducted to examine aspects of the construct validity of a pen-and-paper instrument designed to measure informational coping style, the Miller Behavioral Style Scale (MBSS). In Study I, the MBSS was administered to 271 university students to examine item response frequencies, item correlations and internal consistency of the subscales. In Study II the coping responses to a series of different hypothetically threatening situations were examined in a sample of 60 students drawn from the sample used in Study I. The results of Study I indicate a need for revision of the items in the MBSS. The results of Study II provide modest evidence of construct validity and underrepresentation of the MBSS in terms of coping strategies. Furthermore, there was evidence to suggest that the structural approach used in the MBSS fails to capture the precise context in which a coping strategy would be applied and the extent to which a strategy would be used.