title: [German Version of the Social Impact Scale (SIS-D)--Pilot Testing of an Instrument for Measuring Experienced Stigmatization in a Sample of Cancer Patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  PURPOSE of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the newly adapted German Version of the Social Impact Scale (SIS), a multidimensional questionnaire measuring perceived stigmatization.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SIS was translated into the German language following state-of-the-art criteria and completed in a sample of 139 outpatients with mixed tumor entities. In addition to the SIS-D, participants answered questions about their experience of discrimination and perceived visibility of their disease as well as about illness beliefs and perceptions of cancer control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparably to the original scale, exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 4-factor solution and the following dimensions: "social isolation" (Cronbachs α=0.89), "social rejection" (α=0.81), "internalized shame" (α=0.81) and "financial insecurity" (α=0.81).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the results of this pilot study, it can be concluded that the German version of the SIS is an instrument measuring perceived stigmatization in cancer patients with very good psychometric properties. However, further validation studies are considered necessary.
authors: Sektion Psychosoziale Onkologie, Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig.
authors: Svenja
authors: S
authors: Eichhorn
authors: Sektion Psychosoziale Onkologie, Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig.
authors: Anja
authors: A
authors: Mehnert
authors: Institut und Poliklinik für Medizinische Psychologie, Zentrum für Psychosoziale Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Stephan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011287:Prejudice; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012922:Social Change; D012934:Social Isolation; D057545:Social Stigma; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014175:Translating