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Objective: Few studies have examined psychological adjustment in thyroid cancer (TC) patients and no published studies have investigated benefit finding (BF) in this population. This study examined the relationship between BF and adjustment in TC using an expanded conceptualisation of adjustment that incorporated higher order cognitive and motivational states (HOCMS) and health behaviour changes, and a BF measure that accounted for positive and negative changes. Partner ratings of patient's BF and health behaviour changes were examined as sources of external validity for these constructs., Methods: 154 TC patients and 32 partners completed questionnaires., Results: Findings supported the prediction that BF would be associated with greater positive affect and positive health behaviour change, and better outcomes on the HOCMS of adjustment. After controlling for demographics and cancer stress, BF evidenced associations with greater positive affect, wisdom, spiritual wellbeing, and lifestyle changes., Conclusions: Results suggest that BF is related to health behaviour change that is corroborated by significant others and is strongly related to the existentially oriented adjustment outcomes., (Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objective: This longitudinal study developed and confirmed the factor structure of the 32-item Coping with Colorectal Cancer (CCRC) measure. Reliability and validity of the measure were also assessed., Methods: Participants were 1800 individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC). A written questionnaire and a telephone interview were completed at 5 (Time 1) and 12 months post-diagnosis (Time 2)., Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed eight mostly empirically distinct subscales: Positive Perceptual Change, Religion/Spirituality, Rumination, Acceptance, Humour, Palliative, Seeking Social Support, and Lifestyle Reorganisation. Internal reliabilities were adequate and comparable to other coping measures, and test-retest analyses showed moderate temporal stability of the subscales. Cross-sectional and longitudinal regression analyses were conducted to establish criterion-related validity. As hypothesised, after controlling for demographics, disease/treatment, and stress/coping variables, regression analyses showed that CCRC subscales uniquely predicted Time 1 quality of life (QOL) outcomes (positive affect, cancer-related QOL, psychological distress). After controlling for Time 1 QOL, Seeking Social Support coping continued to predict Time 2 positive affect., Conclusions: Results demonstrated the preliminary validity and reliability of the CCRC subscales, and have extended the cancer coping research by revealing new relations between coping subscales and QOL in a mixed-gender, older population with CRC.