1. Method Sample Data were collected, via mailed questionnaire packets, from 156 cancer patients and survivors recruited throughout the country (ND Cancer Database) Mean Age 63 Female 64% Married68% Caucasian 79% African American 16% Catholic or Protestant87% Annual Income ≤ $40,00042% Retired48% Breast 45%; Prostate 16%; Colorectal 7% Median Years post-diagnosis 7 Measures SRCE: 13 items that assess confidence in maintaining and fostering social relationships α =.92. Sample items above (Merluzzi et al., 2014) Physical Debilitation: Sickness Impact Profile – measures physical impact of illness – Physical Scales used (Bergner, Bobbitt, Carter, & Gilson, 1981) Received Emotional Support : Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (Barrera, Sandler, & Ramsay, 1981) Social Relationship Coping Efficacy (SRCE): A New Construct in the Mitigation of Loss of Social Support Thomas V. Merluzzi 1 Errol J. Philip 2 & Samantha Serpentini 3 1 University of Notre Dame 2 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 3 Institute of Oncology IOV, Padova (Veneto), Italy. Introduction Social support is associated with well-being, quality of life, and longevity (Epplein et al., 2011), Loss of social support can have negative psychosocial and physical effects (Nausheen et al., 2009). More functional debilitation leads to greater loss of social support due to physical limitations New Construct: Social Relationship Coping Efficacy Confidence to engage in behaviors that could maintain or enhance social relationships May mitigate loss of social support SRCE may explain why some individuals are able to maintain social support despite physical debilitation SRCE is a malleable, skill- based approach to social relationships in the context of illness Results Mediation Model Covariate: SES Mediation Analysis Direct effect - SIP  Social Support (-.207; p<.02) With SRCE as a mediator direct effect SIP  Social Support ns SIP inversely related to SRCE (-.321; p<.001) SRCE was positively related to Social Support (.431;p<.001)Discussion Whereas SIP may be associated with decreased SRCE, SRCE may mitigate the negative impact that physical debilitation can have on social support Further research is warranted because the malleability of SRCE could provide a target for specific interventions focused on maintaining and improving social relationships during the trajectory of illness Support provided by National Cancer Institute (EJP: T32CA009461 & TVM: CA94914) National Institute of Mental Health (EJP: F31MH086977) Examples of SRCE items Doing my part to NOT AT ALL MODERATELY TOTALLY maintain close CONFIDENTCONFIDENTCONFIDENT relationships123456789 Managing stress in NOT AT ALLMODERATELY TOTALLY my relationshipsCONFIDENTCONFIDENTCONFIDENT 123456789 Asking for help NOT AT ALLMODERATELY TOTALLY when I need it CONFIDENTCONFIDENTCONFIDENT 123456789 Seeking emotional NOT AT ALLMODERATELY TOTALLY support from others CONFIDENTCONFIDENTCONFIDENT 123456789 Coping with stress NOT AT ALLMODERATELY TOTALLY in my close CONFIDENTCONFIDENTCONFIDENT relationships123456789 SRCE Emotional Social Support Sickness Impact Profile -.207, p<.02 ns.431, p<.001 -.321, p<.001