Maintaining perceptions of control: Finding perceived control in low-control circumstances.
- 1 January 1993
- journal article
- Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Vol. 64 (2) , 293-304
- https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.64.2.293
Abstract
Three questions about the role of perceived control in coping with a major life stressor were addressed in a sample of 71 cancer patients. As expected, those with greater perceptions of control were less depressed, even when physical functioning, marital satisfaction, and negative affectivity were controlled for. Consistent with a compensatory model of control, it was more important for patients to believe that they could control daily emotional reactions and physical symptoms than the course of the disease. Patients who endorsed irrational beliefs had lower overall perceptions of control. The results indicated that even patients who were physically or psychosocially worse off were better adjusted if they had higher perceptions of control.Keywords
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