TY - JOUR
T1 - Social comparison and patient information
T2 - What do cancer patients want?
AU - Bennenbroek, Femke T C
AU - Buunk, Bram P.
AU - Van der Zee, K.I.
AU - Grol, Brigit
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - The present study focuses on social comparison processes among cancer patients. The sample consisted of 60 (ex-) cancer patients who participated in a course "coping with cancer". This study examined several aspects of social comparison: the need for comparison, the preferred direction of comparison and the influence of mode (information or contact seeking) and dimension (illness severity or coping) of social comparison as well as indicators of low well-being. The results show that the need for comparison is particularly enhanced among those who evaluate their own health negatively. In addition, the results show that patients prefer to receive information about others who are better off, but also want contact with others who are better off. In addition, they are specifically interested in receiving information about others who are coping better. Practical implications are discussed.
AB - The present study focuses on social comparison processes among cancer patients. The sample consisted of 60 (ex-) cancer patients who participated in a course "coping with cancer". This study examined several aspects of social comparison: the need for comparison, the preferred direction of comparison and the influence of mode (information or contact seeking) and dimension (illness severity or coping) of social comparison as well as indicators of low well-being. The results show that the need for comparison is particularly enhanced among those who evaluate their own health negatively. In addition, the results show that patients prefer to receive information about others who are better off, but also want contact with others who are better off. In addition, they are specifically interested in receiving information about others who are coping better. Practical implications are discussed.
KW - Affiliation
KW - Cancer
KW - Social comparison
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036094623&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0036094623&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0738-3991(02)00018-6
DO - 10.1016/S0738-3991(02)00018-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 12023095
AN - SCOPUS:0036094623
SN - 0738-3991
VL - 47
SP - 5
EP - 12
JO - Patient Education and Counseling
JF - Patient Education and Counseling
IS - 1
ER -
