Reconciling the prospect of disease progression with goals and expectations: Development and validation of a measurement model in advanced cancer Journal Article
| Authors: | George, L S.; Polacek, L. C.; Lynch, K.; Prigerson, H. G.; Abou-Alfa, G. K.; Atkinson, T. M.; Epstein, A. S.; Breitbart, W. |
| Article Title: | Reconciling the prospect of disease progression with goals and expectations: Development and validation of a measurement model in advanced cancer |
| Abstract: | Objective Among patients living with advanced, life-limiting illness, reconciling the prospect of disease progression with future goals and expectations is a key psychological task, integral to treatment decision-making and emotional well-being. To date, this psychological process remains poorly understood with no available measurement tools. The present paper develops and validates a measurement model for operationalizing this psychological process. Methods In Phase 1, concept elicitation interviews were conducted among Stage IV lung, gastrointestinal, and gynecologic cancer patients, their caregivers, and experts (N = 19), to further develop our conceptual framework centered on assimilation and accommodation coping. In Phase 2, draft self-report items of common assimilation and accommodation coping strategies were evaluated via patient cognitive interviews (N = 11). Results Phase 1 interviews identified several coping strategies, some of which aimed to reduce the perceived likelihood of disease progression (assimilation), and others aimed to integrate the likelihood into new goals and expectations (accommodation). The coping strategies appeared to manifest in patients' daily lives, and integrally related to their emotional well-being and how they think about treatments. Phase 2 cognitive interviews identified items to remove and modify, resulting in a 31-item measure assessing 10 assimilation and accommodation coping strategies. Conclusions The present work derived a content-valid measure of the psychological process by which patients reconcile the prospect of disease progression with their goals and expectations. Further psychometric validation and use of the scale could identify intervention targets for enhancing patient decision-making and well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) |
| Keywords: | palliative care; psycho-oncology; terminal care; informed consent; decision-making; cancer |
| Journal Title: | Psycho-Oncology |
| Volume: | 31 |
| Issue: | 6 |
| ISSN: | 1057-9249 |
| Publisher: | John Wiley & Sons |
| Date Published: | 2022-06-01 |
| Start Page: | 902 |
| End Page: | 910 |
| Language: | English |
| ACCESSION: | 2022-24249-001 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/pon.5878 |
| PROVIDER: | Ovid Technologies |
| PROVIDER: | psycinfo |
| PUBMED: | 34984756 |
| PMCID: | PMC9177588 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Source: APA PsycInfo |
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