This investigation examined the moderating effects of physical health and scripts for masculinity (i.e., self-reliance and emotional control) on the relationship between powerful other people locus of control and mental health for 230 men treated for prostate cancer. Regression analyses indicated that physical health and masculine gender scripts moderated the association between powerful other people locus of control and mental health. Specifically, men with poor physical health evinced negative mental health when they endorsed masculine gender scripts and believed powerful other people (i.e., family, friends, or peers) were influential in controlling their cancer. By comparison, men reporting poor physical health, strong beliefs that powerful other people controlled their cancer, and less adherence to masculine scripts experienced positive mental health. The authors discuss future research directions and potential mental health implications for men treated for prostate cancer.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Addis, M. E., and Mahalik, J. R. (2003). Men, masculinity, and the contexts of help-seeking. Am. Psychol. 58: 5–14.
American Cancer Society (2005a). Cancer statistics 2005 presentation. Retrieved September 21, 2005 from http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PRO/content/PRO_1_1_Cancer_Statistics_2005_Presentation.asp
American Cancer Society (2005b). Detailed guide: Prostate can-cer. Retrieved September 21, 2005 from http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_are_the_key_statistics_for_prostate_cancer_36.asp?rnav=cri
American Cancer Society (2006). Overview: Prostate Cancer: How many men get prostate cancer? Retrieved February 17, 2006 from http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_1X_How_many_men_get_prostate_cancer_36.asp?sitearea=
American Cancer Society (2005c). Types of treatment. Retrieved September 21, 2005 from http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/ETO_1.asp
Andrykowski, M. A., and Brady, M. J. (1994). Health locus of control and psychological distress in cancer patients: Interactive effects of context. J. Behav. Med. 17: 439–548.
Burns, S. M., and Mahalik, J. R. (in press). Understanding how masculine gender scripts may contribute to men's adjustment following treatment for prostate cancer. Am. J. Men's Health.
Burns, S. M., Maniss, S., Young, L. R. L., and Gaubatz, M. (2005). Attributions of control and seropositivity among Latinos: Examining the predictive utility of the locus of control construct. AIDS Care 17: 263–269.
Christensen, A. J., Turner, C. W., and Smith, T. W. (1991). Health locus of control and depression in end-stage renal disease. J. Consul. Clin. Psychol. 59: 419–424.
Courtenay, W. H. (2001). Counseling men in medical settings: The six-point HEALTH plan. In Brooks, G. R., and Good, G. E. (Eds.), The New Handbook of Psychotherapy and Counseling with Men. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, pp. 59–91.
Dunn, D. W., Austin, J. K., and Huster, G. A. (1999). Symptoms of depression in adolescents with epilepsy. J. Am. Acad. Child and Adolesc. Psychiatry 38: 1132–1138.
Eton, D. T., and Lepore, S. J. (2002). Prostate cancer and health-related quality of life: A review of the literature. Psycho-Oncology 11: 307–326.
Folkman, S. (1984). Personal control and stress and coping processes: A theoretical analysis. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 46: 839–852.
Frank, R. G., and Elliott, T. R. (1989). Spinal cord injury and health locus of control beliefs. Paraplegia 27: 250–256.
Frazier, P. A., Tix, A. P., and Barron, K. E. (2004). Testing moderator and mediator effects in counseling psychology research. J. Counsel. Psychol. 51: 115–134.
Gray, R. E., Fitch, M., Davis, C., and Phillips, C. (1997). Interviews with men with prostate cancer about their self-help group experience. J. Palliative Care 13: 15–21.
Gray, R. E., Fitch, M. I., Phillips, C., Labrecque, M., Fergus, K. D., and Klotz, L. (2002). Prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction: Men's experiences. Int. J. Men's Health 1: 15–29.
Helgeson, V. S., and Lepore, S. J. (1997). Men's adjustment to prostate cancer: The role of agency and unmitigated agency. Sex Roles 37: 251–266.
Helgeson, V. S., and Lepore, S. J. (2004). Quality of life following prostate cancer: The role of agency and unmitigated agency. J. Appl. Soc. Psychol. 34: 2559–2585.
Kimmel, S. B., and Mahalik, J. R. (2005). Body image concerns of Gay Men: The roles of minority stress and conformity to masculine norms. J. Consult. Clin. Psycholo. 73: 1185–1190.
Kugler, J., Tenderich, G., Stahlhut, P., Posival, H., Korner, M. M., Korfer, R., and Kruskemper, G. M. (1994). Emotional adjustment and perceived locus of control in heart transplant patients. J. Psychosomatic Res. 38: 403–408.
Lintz, K., Moynihan, C., Steginga, S., Norman, A., Eeles, R., Huddart, R., Dearnaley, D., and Watson, M. (2003). Prostate cancer patients’ support and psychological care needs: Survey from a non-surgical oncology clinic. Psycho-Oncology 12: 769–783.
Llorente, M. D., Burke, M., Gregory, G. R., Bosworth, H. B., Grambow, S. C., Horner, R. D., Golden, A., and Olsen, E. J. (2005). Prostate cancer: A significant risk factor for late-life suicide. Am. J. Geriatric Suicide 13: 195–201.
Mahalik, J. M., Good, G. E., and Englar-Carlson, M. (2003a). Masculinity scripts, presenting concerns, and help-seeking: Implications for practice and training. Prof. Psychol. 34: 123–131.
Mahalik, J. R., Lagan, H. D., and Morrison, J. A. (in press). Health behaviors and masculinity in Kenyan and U.S. college students. Psychol. Men and Masculinity.
Mahalik, J. R., Locke, B., Ludlow, L., Diemer, M., Scott, R. P. J., Gottfried, M., and Freitas, G. (2003b). Development of the conformity to masculine norms inventory. Psychol, Men and Masculinity 4: 3–25.
McCarthy, J., and Holliday, E. L. (2004). Help-seeking and counseling within a traditional male gender role: An examination from a multicultural perspective. J. Counsel. Dev. 82: 25–30.
Morris, P. L. P., Robinson, R. G., Raphael, B., and Bishop, D. (1991). The relationship between the perception of social support and post-stroke depression in hospitalized patients. Psychiatry 54: 306–315.
Murberg, T. A., Bru, E., Aarsland, T., and Svebak, S. (1998). Social support, social disability and their role as predictors of depression among patients with congestive heart failure. Scand. J. Soc. Med. 26: 87–95.
Pirl, W. F., Siegel, G. I., Goode, M. J., and Smith, M. R. (2002). Depression in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer: A pilot study. Psycho-Oncology 11: 518–523.
Powel, L. L., and Clark, J. A. (2005). The value of the marginalia as an adjunct to structured questionnaires: Experiences of men after prostate cancer surgery. Qual. Life Res. 14: 827–835.
Roberts, K. J., Lepore, S. J., and Helgeson, V. (2006). Social-cognitive correlates of adjustment to prostate cancer. Psycho-Oncology 15: 183–192.
Robertson, J. M. (2001). Counseling men in college settings. In Brooks, G. R., and Good, G. E. (Eds.), The New Handbook of Psychotherapy and Counseling with Men. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, pp. 146–169.
Roesch, S. C., Adams, L., Hines, A., Palmores, A., Vyas, P., Tran, C., Pekin, S., and Vaughn, A. A. (2005). Coping with prostate cancer: A meta-analytic review. J. Behav. Med. 28: 281–293.
Swinney, J. E. (2002). African Americans with cancer: The relationships among self-esteem, locus of control, and health perception. Res. Nurs. Health 25: 371–382.
Wallston, K. A., Stein, M. J., and Smith, C. A. (1994). Form C of the MHLC scales: A condition-specific measure of locus of control. J. Pers. Assess. 63: 534–553.
Wallston, K. A., Wallston, B. S., and DeVellis, R. (1978). Development of Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales. Health Educ. Monogr. 6: 160–170.
Ware, J. E., and Kosinski, M. (2001). SF-36 physical and mental summary scales: A manual for users of version 1. (2nd Ed.). Lincoln, RI: QualityMetric, Inc.
Ware, J. E., Snow, K. K., Kosinski, M., and Gandek, B. (1993). SF-36 Health Survey: Manual and interpretation guide. Boston, MA: The Health Institute, New England Medical Center.
Watson, M., Greer, S., Pruyn, J., and Van Den Borne, B. (1990). Locus of control and adjustment to cancer. Psychol. Rep. 66: 39–48.
Wei, J. T., Dunn, R. L., Litwin, M. S., Sandler, H. M., and Sanda, M. G. (2000). Development and validation of the expanded prostate cancer index composite (EPIC) for comprehensive assessment of health-related quality of life in men with prostate cancer. Urology 56: 899–905.
Willener, R., and Hantikainen, V. (2005). Individual quality of life following radical prostatectomy in men with prostate cancer. Urolog. Nurs. 25: 88–90, 95–100.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Burns, S.M., Mahalik, J.R. Physical Health, Self-Reliance, and Emotional Control as Moderators of the Relationship between Locus of Control and Mental Health among Men Treated for Prostate Cancer. J Behav Med 29, 561–572 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-006-9076-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-006-9076-1