Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Click here to sign up for SAGE Journal Email Alerts today!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Abend, T. A.
Right arrow Articles by Williamson, G. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Abend, T. A.
Right arrow Articles by Williamson, G. M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?

Feeling Attractive in the Wake of Breast Cancer: Optimism Matters, and So Do Interpersonal Relationships

Teresa A. Abend

The University of Georgia, tfa3{at}cdc.gov

Gail M. Williamson

The University of Georgia, LGMW{at}arches.uga.edu

Survey data from 63 married (or living as married) breast cancer patients (Stage I, n = 25; Stage II, n = 30; Stage III, n =8) provided evidence that both dispositional optimism and interpersonal factors may influence how physically attractive breast cancer patients feel. Optimistic women reported more frequently agreeing with their partners, higher levels of social support, and more feelings of physical attractiveness. Beyond the effects of optimism, relationship agreement and global perceptions of social support accounted for significant variance in feelings of attractiveness. Tests for mediation further suggested that more optimistic breast cancer patients feel more attractive because their dispositions promote perceptions that support is available in general and from their marital partners in particular. Agreement in the marital relationship appears to influence feelings of attractiveness, in large part, because relationship agreement contributes to generalized perceptions of available support.

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 28, No. 4, 427-436 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/0146167202287001
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?