HOPE AND COPING WITH CANCER BY COLLEGE-WOMEN

The relations of dispositional hope to various self-reported cancer-re lated coping activities were examined in 115 college women. Dispositio nally high- as compared to low-hope women were more knowledgeable abou t cancer, and this relationship remained when the shared variances due to previous academic achievement, experience with cancer among family or friends, and positive and negative affectivity were removed. Addit ionally, high- as compared to low-hope women reported more hope-relate d coping responses in four separate imagined phases of cancer (prevent ion/risk, detection, temporal course, and impact), and these relations hips remained when shared variances related to previous academic achie vement, knowledge about cancer, experience with cancer, and negative a ffectivity were removed. Hope is discussed as means of maintaining a ' 'fighting spirit'' for coping with cancer.