Factor structure of the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (Self-Report) for persons with cancer.

Abstract

The Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS-SR) is a frequently used self-report measure, yet its factor structure, reliability, and validity have not been tested adequately on a sample of persons with cancer. A group of persons with cancer (N = 502) completed the PAIS-SR and other measures of adjustment and coping. A principal-axis factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded 7 factors: Social and Leisure Activities (.86), Job and Household Duties (.85), Psychological Distress (.87), Sexual Relationship (.92), Relationships With Partner and Family (.70), Health Care Orientation (.61), and Help From Others (.63). Values in parentheses are Cronbach's αs for the factors; α for the entire scale was.93. Correlations with measures of disease impact, adjustment, and coping support the validity of the PAIS-SR and its use for cancer research.