Relations among optimism, perceived health vulnerability, and academic, self-regulatory, and social self-efficacy in adolescent survivors of childhood cancer.

This study investigated relations among optimism, perceived health vulnerability, treatment intensity, and academic, self-regulatory, and social self-efficacy in adolescent survivors of childhood cancer. Fifty-six adolescent survivors (Mage = 16.19 years, SD = 2.48) completed questionnaires. Compared to a previously published sample of adolescents without a history of cancer, survivors reported similar academic, higher self-regulatory, and lower social self-efficacy. Optimism and health vulnerability were associated with changes in academic, self-regulatory, and social self-efficacy. Cancer-specific variables (e.g., treatment intensity, time since treatment ended) were unrelated to self-efficacy. Interventions aimed at enhancing self-efficacy may benefit from exploring optimism and health vulnerabilities as mechanisms for change.