The Role of Social Comparisons in Coping and Quality of Life Following a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Social comparisons may function as a coping strategy, but their role in coping and quality of
life has not been well characterized. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the
relationships between cognitive appraisals; coping strategies; social comparisons; and
quality of life among men with prostate cancer. The conceptual framework for this study is
drawn from Festinger s Social Comparison Theory, Lazarus and Folkman s Transactional Model of
Stress and Coping, and Mishel s Uncertainty in Illness Theory. A cancer diagnosis is
accompanied by uncertainty about how cancer will affect one s life. Theory and empirical data
suggest that in conditions of uncertainty, coping affects adjustment to a condition. Social
comparisons have been postulated to be more prevalent in uncertain situations. Because little
is known about how social comparisons operate, participants in this study will be recruited
exclusively from prostate cancer support groups. Support groups provide a context in which
individuals are likely to make social comparisons and to be cognizant of these comparisons.
Prostate cancer provides a model of a common, chronic condition with complex etiology.
Prostate cancer treatment may cause sexual, urinary, and bowel side effects, which may affect
patients quality of life and elicit attempts to cope. One way of managing the prostate cancer
experience may be to compare oneself to others who are doing better or worse than oneself on
relevant dimensions. The interpretation of social comparisons may positively or negatively
affect one s perceived quality of life. There have been no studies among prostate cancer
patients that have quantitatively measured the use of social comparisons. There is also a
paucity of research in this population regarding the predictors of coping strategies and the
predictors of quality of life across multiple domains. This study will use a cross-sectional,
mixed methods survey to investigate relationships between cognitive appraisals, coping, and
quality of life and to qualitatively explore social comparisons among men with prostate
cancer. Participants may complete the survey on paper or online. The primary outcomes are the
use of coping strategies, including social comparisons, and quality of life. Individuals with
a personal or family history of prostate cancer are currently seen by genetic counselors as
part of research studies investigating the genetic basis of prostate cancer. If relationships
are demonstrated between the social comparisons and quality of life, genetic counselors may
want to assess patients social comparisons to evaluate how patients are coping with their
condition.