Perceptions of Academic and Social Self-Efficacy among Adolescents Diagnosed with Cancer and their Relations with Dispositional Optimism, Perceived Vulnerability, and Treatment Modality

For adolescents with cancer, a population notably neglected in the literature, maintaining and strengthening academic and social self-efficacy is especially salient in terms of promoting positive adaptation on key developmental indices. Based on prior research citing their potential roles among adolescents adapting to cancer, treatment modality, dispositional optimism, and perceived vulnerability were chosen as variables likely related to social and academic self-efficacy. Forty-two adolescents diagnosed with cancer and at least six months post-treatment completed questionnaire packets. Analyses indicated that although treatment modality did not relate to academic or social self-efficacy, prognosis should be considered as a covariate. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that dispositional optimism and perceived vulnerability predicted the change in academic (ΔR2=.25, F(2,27)=6.88, p=.004) and social self-efficacy (ΔR2=.21, F(2, 27)=4.97, p=.015) beyond the influence of prognosis. Independently, there was a main effect of perceived vulnerability on academic self-efficacy (Bacademic self-efficacy= -.64, p=.02) with perceived vulnerability accounting for 12% of the unique variance (sr2=.12,p=.02). A main effect of dispositional optimism on social self-efficacy (Bsocial self-efficacy=.65,p=.03) was also observed with dispositional optimism accounting for 10% of the unique variance (sr2=.l0, p=.03). These results lend themselves to future intervention studies promoting academic and social skills through the integration of positive dispositional traits, like optimism, and enhancing realistic perceptions of vulnerability.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2006

Author dc:creator

• Foster, Rebecca Hope

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Marilyn Stern

• attitude
• social skills
• resilience
• adaptation
• optimism
• cancer
• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1138

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2137