Validation of an Instrument to Measure Patients' Intentions and Ability to Change Attitudes and Behavior

Abstract

Background: The efficacy of specific interventions also of mind-body medicine is also dependent on the patients' ability to engage in these interventions and to perceive and change health-affecting attitudes and behaviors. The aim was to validate a 13-item instrument to measure (1) the patients' perception of specific attitudes and behaviors that are assumed to have a negative influence on the health situation, (2) their intention to change them, and (3) the implementation of the intended changes in their life affairs. Patients and Methods: Anonymous cross-sectional survey among 512 patients with chronic pain conditions (mean age 42.6 ± 11.4 years; 58% women) using standardized instruments. Results: After the elimination of 4 items, an explorative factor analysis of the 9 remaining items indicated 2 factors that would explain 57% of the variance: Perceptions/Intentions (5 items; Cronbach's alpha = 0.75) and Ability/ Implementation (4 items; alpha = 0.77). Factor 2 correlated moderately to strongly with internal adaptive coping strategies (AKU) and situational awareness (CPSC), and weakly with mental health (SF-36), life satisfaction (BMLSS), and low depressive symptoms (BDI) and escape from illness (Escape). Factor 1 correlated weakly with age and adaptive coping strategies (AKU). Conclusions: The final 9-item Perception, Intention and Ability to Change (PIAC) scale was approved as a short, practicable and promising instrument, which should be further evaluated in the context of training and intervention programs, particularly with respect to its predictive relevance.

How to Become an Agent of One's Own Healing Processes: Self-Management for Chronically Ill Patients in Integrative Health Care

“…This invites discussion as to how far a differentiation between complementary and conventional approaches is relevant with respect to the question of patients' self-activity. 4) Büssing et al [22] developed and offer an instrument to assess the readiness of patients to take responsibility for their own health. This is of particular interest with regard to persons attending health prevention and intervention programs of mind-body medicine, which encourage and support them in changing their attitudes and health behaviors.…”