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Development of a questionnaire measure of adjustment to cancer: the MAC scale

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

M. Watson*
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Campaign Psychological Medicine Research Group and Section of Medicine, The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey; Faith Courtauld Unit, The Rayne Institute, King's College Hospital, London
S. Greer
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Campaign Psychological Medicine Research Group and Section of Medicine, The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey; Faith Courtauld Unit, The Rayne Institute, King's College Hospital, London
J. Young
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Campaign Psychological Medicine Research Group and Section of Medicine, The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey; Faith Courtauld Unit, The Rayne Institute, King's College Hospital, London
Q. Inayat
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Campaign Psychological Medicine Research Group and Section of Medicine, The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey; Faith Courtauld Unit, The Rayne Institute, King's College Hospital, London
C. Burgess
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Campaign Psychological Medicine Research Group and Section of Medicine, The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey; Faith Courtauld Unit, The Rayne Institute, King's College Hospital, London
B. Robertson
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Campaign Psychological Medicine Research Group and Section of Medicine, The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey; Faith Courtauld Unit, The Rayne Institute, King's College Hospital, London
*
1Address for correspondence: DrM. Watson, CRC Psychological Medicine Group, The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden Hospital, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT.

Synopsis

This paper describes the development of a self-rating scale to measure adjustment to cancer. The Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) Scale has been completed by 235 patients with various types and stages of cancer. It is easily understood by, and acceptable to, patients. Data relating to reliability and internal consistency indicate that the MAC scale is a valuable research tool for clinical studies of patients' psychological adjustment to cancer.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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