Who will attend tests for the early detection of breast cancer?

The purpose was to construct a questionnaire for predicting which women would undergo screening for the early detection of breast cancer. The study was done in the theoretical framework of the cognitive orientation (CO) theory (Kreitler & Kreitler, 1976) that shows how cognitive contents guide behaviors. A CO questionnaire assessing beliefs of four types (about goals, norms, self and general beliefs) and an informational questionnaire were administered to five samples of 619 women differing in age, occupation, residential location and screening conditions. Discriminant analyses showed that the CO questionnaire provided significant predictions of physician-performed screening, regularity of screening, whether it was self-initiated or not, and breast self-examination. Predictions were not improved by including genetic risk for cancer. Women who attend for screening have beliefs supporting, for example, optimism, realism, emotional control, projecting good impression, and readiness to face problems. The implications of the study focus on the motivational dynamics of undergoing screening and the related personality profile, and on the possibility of modifying the relevant beliefs in order to increase uptake of screening.