Thinking differently about thinking positive: a discursive approach to cancer patients' talk

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Psycho-oncology
• Discourse Analysis

Background:

• Extensive literature links "thinking positive" to cancer patient outcomes.
• Previous research often relies on self-report data for mental adjustment.
• The concept of positive thinking in cancer coping lacks critical discursive examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the claims linking "thinking positive" to cancer patient morbidity, mortality, and mental health.
• To analyze the discursive function of "thinking positive" in the context of breast cancer patient talk.
• To challenge the reliance on self-report data in psycho-oncology research.

Main Methods:

• Discursive analysis of conversations among women with breast cancer.
• Interrogation of data analyses underpinning previous research on positive thinking.
• Focus on talk as social action within specific interactional contexts.

Main Results:

• "Thinking positive" functions as a conversational idiom, not a direct report of internal cognitive states.
• This idiom represents a socially normative moral requirement.
• Breast cancer patients may report "thinking positive" while simultaneously resisting its prescriptive social demands.

Conclusions:

• The simplistic view of "thinking positive" in cancer coping needs re-evaluation.
• Discursive approaches offer deeper insights into patient communication and experiences.
• Future research should consider the nuanced, context-dependent meanings of patient talk.