Psychological Flexibility in Prostate Cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Impact of Psychological Flexibility on Psychological Constructs Related to Individuals’ Experiences of Prostate Cancer
IRAS ID
221413
Contact name
Lindsay-Jo Sevier-Guy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 22 days
Research summary
Title: The Impact of Psychological Flexibility on Psychological Constructs Related to Individuals’ Experiences of Prostate Cancer
This study aims to look at how some psychological constructs relevant to men’s experience of prostate cancer relate to each other. The main construct under investigation is psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility includes things like how well a person copes and adapts to different psychological demands, shifts their perspective depending on their context, and balances competing demands on them. Individuals who report higher psychological flexibility also report higher quality of life, lower psychological distress and greater overall wellbeing. Having a diagnosis of prostate cancer can be linked with lower quality of life and higher psychological distress. Men with prostate cancer can also fear that the cancer will come back now or in the future.
This research will look at the extent to which the construct of psychological flexibility is linked with the constructs of psychological distress, quality of life and fear of cancer recurrence in men with prostate cancer. Any English speaking man who has ever had a diagnosis of prostate cancer is able to take part. Participants will be recruited online via cancer charity websites, via marketing at local prostate cancer clinics and face to face at prostate cancer support groups. Participants will complete questionnaires measuring each construct online. Responses to these questionnaires will be combined and analysed to see how the different constructs relate to each other.
The aim of this study is to identify new and more effective treatments for the psychological side effects of prostate cancer that some men experience. Further, this study hopes to discover the best way to measure psychological flexibility in men with prostate cancer. This will help researchers to better measure psychological flexibility, and also help clinicians to evaluate the services provided for men with prostate cancer.
REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0620
Date of REC Opinion
16 May 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion