Design and Psychometric Evaluation of the Psychological Adaptation to Genetic Information Scale

Abstract

PURPOSE: To develop and psychometrically evaluate the Psychological Adaptation to Genetic Information Scale (PAGIS). DESIGN: A cross-sectional, Web-based survey of participants (n=323) recruited via Internet electronic mailing lists or Websites for people affected by genetic diseases. METHODS: Item analysis, confirmatory principal components analysis, and internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha were used to construct the 26-item PAGIS. FINDINGS: Five factors (nonintrusiveness, support, self-worth, certainty, and self-efficacy) explained 57.7% of the variance in psychological adaptation to genetic information. The internal consistency reliability of the total PAGIS was .90, and the subscale reliabilities ranged from .77 to .87. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological adaptation to genetic information is a multidimensional phenomenon comprised of nonintrusiveness, support, self-worth, certainty, and self-efficacy. The PAGIS has initial reliability and validity for use in future research.