Response shift in the assessment of quality of life among people attending cardiac rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether any response shift in quality of life (QoL) assessment over the course of a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programme could be explained by changes in individuals' internal standards (recalibration), values (reprioritization), and/or conceptualization of QoL and the extent to which any response shift could be explained by health locus of control, optimism, and coping strategy.


METHODS
Longitudinal survey design.


METHODS
The schedule for evaluation of individual QoL-direct weighting (SEIQoL-DW) was administered at the beginning and end of a CR programme. At the end of the programme, the SEIQoL-DW then-test was also administered to measure response shift. A total of 57 participants completed these measures and other measures to assess health locus of control, optimism, and coping.


RESULTS
Response shift effects were observed in this population mainly due to recalibration. When response shift was incorporated into the analysis of QoL a larger treatment effect was observed. Active coping as a mechanism in the response shift model was found to have a significant positive correlation with response shift.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that response shift occurs during CR. The occurrence of response shift in QoL ratings over time for this population could have implications for the estimation of the effectiveness of the intervention.
Dempster
Martin
M
School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland. m.dempster@qub.ac.uk
Carney
Rosa
R
McClements
Roger
R
D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D015607:Stents / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires