Development of a common dyadic coping scale in couples facing breast cancer: the importance of open communication.

OBJECTIVE

Couples' joint coping is important in managing the impact of breast cancer. However, measures assessing couples' communication as a way of coping are insufficient. This study aimed to generate a self-report valid and reliable measure of couples' coping with a particular focus on communication.

METHOD

We used baseline data of 343 couple dyads who participated in a randomized clinical trial targeting marital communication. Women were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in the past eight months; couples were married or in an intimate relationship for at least six months, could read and write English, and lived within 100 miles of the study center. An expert panel selected items with conceptual fit from the Mutuality and Interpersonal Sensitivity Scale (MIS) that was originally designed to evaluate marital communication about breast cancer.

RESULTS

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a 12-item measurement model with four factors: (4 items), (2 items), (3 items), and (3 items). Reliability ranged from 0.76 to 0.87 for women and 0.70 to 0.83 for spouses.

CONCLUSION

This new measure has potential application in clinical practice and future research to assess couple's joint coping efforts especially through communication.