title: Measuring appraisal during advanced cancer: psychometric testing of the appraisal of caregiving scale.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examine the psychometric properties of the Appraisal of Caregiving Scale (ACS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected as part of the FOCUS Program trial in Michigan (N = 484 caregivers).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exploratory factor analysis found the ACS measured Threat, General Stress, and Benefit appraisals. Cronbach's alphas for all subscales exceeded 0.70. Construct validity analyses indicated the Threat subscale correlated significantly with concepts of avoidant coping, burden, and dyadic support (r > 0.30). General Stress correlated significantly with burden (r = 0.348) and dyadic support (r = -0.373), and the Benefit subscale correlated significantly with active coping (r = 0.444). Known group analyses indicated that depressed caregivers had higher Threat and General Stress scores than non-depressed caregivers. Also, younger caregivers reported significantly higher scores on the General Stress subscale than older caregivers. Predictive validity analyses found appraisal scores at baseline accounted for 33.3% of the variance in hopelessness and 27.8% of the variance in depression at Time 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ACS is a reliable measure of Threat, General Stress, and Benefit appraisals, with some support for its validity. Health professionals may find the ACS useful for guiding intervention development. Future research should continue to examine the ACS' validity.
authors: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Electronic address: sylvie.lambert@mcgill.ca.
authors: Sylvie D
authors: SD
authors: Lambert
authors: School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. Electronic address: hyojiny@umich.edu.
authors: Hyojin
authors: H
authors: Yoon
authors: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. Electronic address: kahe@umich.edu.
authors: Katrina R
authors: KR
authors: Ellis
authors: School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. Electronic address: lnortho@umich.edu.
authors: Laurel
authors: L
authors: Northouse
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Advanced cancer; Appraisal; Cancer; Family caregiver; Oncology; Psychometrics; Stress and coping
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