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I Keep my Problems to Myself: Negative Social Network Orientation, Social Resources, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors

Annals of Behavioral Medicine volume 50, pages 385–396 (2016)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 15 July 2016

Abstract

Background

Cancer survivors treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplant rely on their social network for successful recovery. However, some survivors have negative attitudes about using social resources (negative social network orientation) that are critical for their recovery.

Purpose

We examined the association between survivors’ social network orientation and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and whether it was mediated by social resources (network size, perceived support, and negative and positive support-related social exchanges).

Methods

In a longitudinal study, 255 survivors completed validated measures of social network orientation, HRQoL, and social resources. Hypotheses were tested using path analysis.

Results

More negative social network orientation predicted worse HRQoL (p < .001). This association was partially mediated by lower perceived support and more negative social exchanges.

Conclusions

Survivors with negative social network orientation may have poorer HRQoL in part due to deficits in several key social resources. Findings highlight a subgroup at risk for poor transplant outcomes and can guide intervention development.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the American Cancer Society, grant #RSGPB-07-285-01-CPPB (PI: Rini). We thank the study staff and all the transplant survivors who participated in this study for their time and dedication.

Authors’ Contributions

All authors contributed significantly to the manuscript and have seen and approved it.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus box 7440, 319C Rosenau Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7440, USA

    Christine Rini PhD & Yael Symes MSPH

  2. UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Christine Rini PhD & Yael Symes MSPH

  3. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Rebecca A. Campo PhD

  4. Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Lisa M. Wu PhD

  5. Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    Lisa M. Wu PhD

  6. Department of Psychology, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, USA

    Jane Austin PhD

Authors
  1. Christine Rini PhD
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  2. Yael Symes MSPH
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  3. Rebecca A. Campo PhD
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  4. Lisa M. Wu PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christine Rini PhD.

Ethics declarations

Christine Rini, PhD, Yael Symes, MSPH, Rebecca A. Campo, PhD, Jane Austin, PhD, Lisa M. Wu, PhD declare that they have no conflict of interest. All procedures, including the informed consent process, were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

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Rini, C., Symes, Y., Campo, R.A. et al. I Keep my Problems to Myself: Negative Social Network Orientation, Social Resources, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors. ann. behav. med. 50, 385–396 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9765-5

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