The "extent of information desired"-scale in psychiatric in-patients: a behavioural approach.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the "extent of information desired" (EID)-scale through a behavioural approach.


METHODS
Standardised interviews consisting of the EID-scale and four (half) open questions were conducted in a convenience sample of psychiatric in-patients and information seeking behaviour was measured. At the same time, socially desirable behaviour was assessed by means of Marlowe-Crowne social desirability (MCSD).


RESULTS
39 patients were interviewed. The behavioural approach yielded mixed results, but there was no correlation between EID- and MCSD-scores.


CONCLUSIONS
From the calculated correlations information seeking behaviour is perceived as socially undesirable, whereas EID-scores seem unaffected by social desirability.


CONCLUSIONS
It is difficult to define independent variables which would reflect information seeking behaviour. The ones we used might have been confounded. We found a correlation between the EID-scale used and the information seeking behaviour, without a strong correlation with social desirability.


CONCLUSIONS
The EID-scale used may predict patients' desire for information within a well-defined clinical context. The step to validation requires more robustness of the research model and a better profiling of patients.
Drug and Patient Information, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, K.U. Leuven, Edward Van Evenstraat 4, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. gert.laekeman@pharm.kuleuven.ac.be
Lieven
L
Zwaenepoel
Vera
V
Hoorens
Jozef
J
Peuskens
Gert
G
Laekeman
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015982:Bias; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000592:standards*; D010174:Pamphlets; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D013664:Teaching Materials / Q000592:standards