Abstract A037: Motivation through relational communication: Examining the normative social behavior of African American women who participate in breast cancer clinical trials
Authors: Ridley-Merriweather Katherine E 
Published: September 2020

Black women die of breast cancer (BC) at a higher rate than any other racial group, but examination of the exact reasoning behind this phenomenon is hampered by African Americans’ (AAs) well-documented unwillingness to participate in medical research. According to research, AAs’ exhibited behavioral norms regarding clinical trial (CT) participation demonstrate a fear of being treated like guinea pigs, deep memories of previous abusive CTs, and strongly held perceptions of receiving unequal treatment in emergency departments and clinics. The Theory of Normative Social Behavior (TNSB) distinguishes descriptive norms (people’s perceptions about a behavior’s prevalence) from injunctive norms (people’s perceptions of the acceptable attitudes and behaviors of their defined group) and describes normative outcomes as injunctive norms joined with expected outcomes and group identity, that serve to influence the effects of descriptive norms on people’s behavior. Through the lens of the TSB, this study identifies the descriptive norms and normative mechanisms of Black/AA women who participate in BC CTs, and explores how their decisions to participate were guided by their relational communication practices. Thirteen self-identified Black or AA women (N=13) who are BC survivors or currently in treatment for BC, and who have previously taken part or are currently enrolled in a BC CT, participated in this study. The women answered interview questions such as, “How were you exposed to the idea of participation in a CT? What were the thoughts of your physicians/friends/family about your participation in particular? What is your experience with other AA women who have participated in BC CTs?” This study’s main finding was that each of these participants demonstrated very high levels of self-advocacy and self-efficacy, evidenced by their common admission of having made their decision on their own to take part in a CT, informing friends, family members, and physicians of their decision rather than seeking input or advice before deciding. Other results confirmed the presence of many already well-known AA descriptive norms such as distrust of CTs; however, the participants expressed feelings that generally, all African American women who have been diagnosed with BC should consider taking part in some kind of CT. Other findings were that these women showed strong racial identity, and were motivated to participate by the expectation of personal positive outcomes, monetary and non-monetary incentives, and a strong desire to help others.

Citation Format: Katherine E Ridley-Merriweather. Motivation through relational communication: Examining the normative social behavior of African American women who participate in breast cancer clinical trials [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr A037.