Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Feb;39(1):16-26.
doi: 10.1007/s12160-009-9154-z.

Positive psychology in cancer care: bad science, exaggerated claims, and unproven medicine

James C Coyne  1 , Howard Tennen
Affiliations

Positive psychology in cancer care: bad science, exaggerated claims, and unproven medicine

James C Coyne et al. Ann Behav Med. 2010 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Claims of positive psychology about people with cancer enjoy great popularity because they seem to offer scientific confirmation of strongly held cultural beliefs and values.

Purpose: Our goal is to examine critically four widely accepted claims in the positive psychology literature regarding adaptational outcomes among individuals living with cancer.

Methods: We examine: (1) the role of positive factors, such as a "fighting spirit" in extending the life of persons with cancer; (2) effects of interventions cultivating positive psychological states on immune functioning and cancer progression and mortality; and evidence concerning (3) benefit finding and (4) post-traumatic growth following serious illness such as cancer and other highly threatening experiences.

Results: Claims about these areas of research routinely made in the positive psychology literature do not fit with available evidence. We note in particular the incoherence of claims about the adaptational value of benefit finding and post-traumatic growth among cancer patients, and the implausibility of claims that interventions that enhance benefit finding improve the prognosis of cancer patients by strengthening the immune system.

Conclusion: We urge positive psychologists to rededicate themselves to a positive psychology based on scientific evidence rather than wishful thinking.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Peterson C. Forward. In: Lopez S, Snyder CR, editors. Oxford handbook of positive psychology. New York: Oxford University Press; 2009. pp. xxiii–xxiv.
    1. Seligman M, Csikszentmhhalyi M. Positive psychology: An introduction. Am Psychol. 2000;55:5–14. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Peterson C, Steen TA. Optimistic explanatory style. In: Snyder CR, Lopez SJ, editors. Handbook of positive psychology. New York: Oxford University Press; 2002. pp. 244–256.
    1. Antoni MH, Lutgendorf S. Psychosocial factors and disease progression in cancer. Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2007;16:42–46. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8721.2007.00472.x. - DOI
    1. Lutgendorf S, Seigal S, Costanzo E. Psychosocial influences in oncology: An expanded model of biobehavioral mechanisms. In: Ader R, Cohen N, Felten D, editors. Psychoneuroimmunology IV. San Diego: Elsevies; 2007. pp. 869–896.