Child Attitude Toward Illness Scale (CATIS): A systematic review of the literature.
The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature utilizing the Child Attitude Toward Illness Scale (CATIS) as a measure of illness attitudes within pediatric chronic illness, including epilepsy, and provide recommendations for its use. This review includes an examination of the psychometric properties of the CATIS and the relationship between the CATIS and psychological, academic, behavioral, and illness variables.



Electronic searches were conducted using Medline and PsychINFO to identify twenty-two relevant publications.



The CATIS was identified as a reliable and valid self-report assessment tool across chronic illnesses, including pediatric epilepsy. Although originally developed for children ages 8-12, the CATIS has demonstrated reliability and validity in youth ages 8-22. The CATIS scores were reliably associated with cognitive appraisal variables and internalizing symptoms. Initial support exists for the relation between illness attitudes and externalizing behavior, academic functioning, and psychosocial care needs. Mixed findings were reported with regard to the relation between illness attitudes and demographic and disease variables, as well as both social and family functioning.



The CATIS is a psychometrically sound self-report instrument for measuring illness attitudes and demonstrates clinical utility for examining adjustment outcomes across chronic illnesses, particularly pediatric epilepsy.
Center for Adherence and Self-Management, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
Rachelle R
RR
Ramsey
Center for Adherence and Self-Management, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
Jamie L
JL
Ryan
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, United States.
David A
DA
Fedele
Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
Larry L
LL
Mullins
Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
John M
JM
Chaney
Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, College of Nursing, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, United States. Electronic address: wagnerjl@musc.edu.
Janelle L
JL
Wagner
D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards; D011613:Psychotherapy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report / Q000592:standards*; D012647:Self-Assessment
Attitude; Child Attitude Toward Illness Scale; Pediatric psychosocial adjustment