Psychological Needs Satisfaction, Self-Rated Health and the Mediating Role of Exercise Among Testicular Cancer Survivors

Exploring tenets of basic psychological needs theory, the objective of this study was to examine the association between psychological needs satisfaction, exercise behavior, and physical and mental health among testicular cancer survivors. The present study investigated whether psychological needs satisfaction was directly associated with increased self-rated health, and if this relationship was mediated by engagement in exercise. Testicular cancer survivors (N = 135; M(age) = 32.45; SD = 7.63) self-reported current psychological needs satisfaction, exercise behavior, and perceived global physical and mental health during routine oncology visits. Associations were examined using path analysis. Psychological needs satisfaction was a positive correlate of both self-rated physical and mental health in this sample, and exercise mediated the association between needs satisfaction and self-rated physical health. This study supports the assumptions underpinning basic psychological needs theory in this unique clinical population. Based on the findings, exercise engagement represents one mechanism associated with perceived health after cancer. Supportive care interventions should aim to enhance satisfaction of psychological needs and investigate exercise as a mechanism underpinning the relationship between needs satisfaction and perceived health in testicular cancer survivors.