The impact of an informational self-management intervention on the association between control and illness uncertainty before and psychological distress after radiotherapy

Many studies have reported that cancer patients who show difficulties maintaining perceptions of control report more psychological distress than patients who are hi.-her in control. Besides perceptions of control, feelings of illness uncertainty have also been regarded as a predictor of psychological distress. Given these strong relationships between perceptions of low control and high illness uncertainty and psychological distress, the present study examined whether an informational self-management intervention (booklet) could moderate this relationship. The booklet contained general and specific information about cancer and cancer treatment, information about possible coping strategies, and social comparison information. which consisted of short stories of other patients. Prior to radiotherapy, 209 patients with cancer completed baseline measures, including control and illness uncertainty. After completing radiotherapy, patients were randomly allocated to receive either a booklet (experimental group, N = 103) or no booklet (control groups N = 106). Three months after the intervention, aspects of psychological distress were assessed., including tension, anger. depression, fatigue and vigour. The results supported our hypotheses and suggested that a self-management intervention is relevant in reducing the relationship between control and illness uncertainty before radiotherapy and psychological distress after radiotherapy. This seems important, especially for high-risk patients who perceive little control and much illness uncertainty. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd

Social comparisons and well-being

Given the importance of interethnic intimate relationships for the integration of minority groups, the present study examined attitudes toward marriages and sexual relationships with in-group and out-group members among young second-generation immigrants in the Netherlands compared with the Dutch. A sample of 95 ethnically Dutch, 68 Moroccan, and 68 Turkish individuals aged between 15 and 25, living in the Netherlands filled out an online questionnaire. Overall, individuals showed a preference for a marital partner from the same ethnic group as themselves, but a less pronounced preference for a sexual partner from their own ethnic group. Turkish and Moroccan, but not Dutch, men would rather engage in a sexual relationship than in a marriage with a Dutch woman, and rather in a marriage than in a sexual relationship with a woman from their own ethnic group. In contrast, women, especially Moroccan women would rather engage in a marriage than in a sexual relationship, preferably with someone of their own ethnic group. Finally, the more religious they were, the more Turkish and Moroccan women preferred a marital partner from their own ethnic group. Findings are discussed in the light of the integration of different ethnic groups in society