TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychometric properties of the greek version of the social constraints scale in a sample of women with breast cancer
AU - Koutrouli, Natalia
AU - Anagnostopoulos, Fotios
AU - Tsikkinis, Annivas
AU - Papastylianou, Dona
AU - Lepore, Stephen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2015/1/11
Y1 - 2015/1/11
N2 - This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Social Constraints Scale, developed in English by Lepore and Ituarte (1999). The scale was culturally adapted in Greek and was then administered, along with measures of psychological distress and intrusions, to a sample of 202 women with breast cancer, recruited from July 2012 to October 2013. Although the scale has usually been treated as a unidimensional measure, exploratory factor analysis revealed three underlying factors in the Greek Social Constraints Scale: unsupportive behaviors, avoidant behaviors, and suggestions for pretense and distraction. The three-factor solution explained 55% of the total variance. Subscale reliability was satisfactory (Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.77 to 0.88). All subscales were significantly related to intrusions and psychological distress. Thus, the Greek Social Constraints Scale is a reliable and valid multidimensional instrument. The results of the present study show that, among all kinds of social constraints, unsupportive behaviors are the most highly correlated with distress, while distraction/pretense is most correlated with intrusiveness. Findings suggested that health professionals should aim to educate both the patient to claim her right to express feelings and thoughts and her social network to adopt disclosure-facilitating behaviors to compensate for intrusiveness and distress.
AB - This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Social Constraints Scale, developed in English by Lepore and Ituarte (1999). The scale was culturally adapted in Greek and was then administered, along with measures of psychological distress and intrusions, to a sample of 202 women with breast cancer, recruited from July 2012 to October 2013. Although the scale has usually been treated as a unidimensional measure, exploratory factor analysis revealed three underlying factors in the Greek Social Constraints Scale: unsupportive behaviors, avoidant behaviors, and suggestions for pretense and distraction. The three-factor solution explained 55% of the total variance. Subscale reliability was satisfactory (Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.77 to 0.88). All subscales were significantly related to intrusions and psychological distress. Thus, the Greek Social Constraints Scale is a reliable and valid multidimensional instrument. The results of the present study show that, among all kinds of social constraints, unsupportive behaviors are the most highly correlated with distress, while distraction/pretense is most correlated with intrusiveness. Findings suggested that health professionals should aim to educate both the patient to claim her right to express feelings and thoughts and her social network to adopt disclosure-facilitating behaviors to compensate for intrusiveness and distress.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Distress
KW - Intrusions
KW - Social Constraints Scale
KW - Validation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84954170628&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03630242.2015.1101746
DO - 10.1080/03630242.2015.1101746
M3 - Article
SN - 0363-0242
VL - 56
SP - 413
EP - 427
JO - Women and Health
JF - Women and Health
IS - 4
ER -