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Cited by 43Cancer survivorship and carePalliative and Oncologic CareCancer-related cognitive impairment studies

Initial validation of a scale to measure purposelessness, understimulation, and boredom in cancer patients: toward a redefinition of depression in advanced disease

PASSIK, STEVEN D., INMAN, ALICE, KIRSH, KENNETH, THEOBALD, DALE, DICKERSON, PAMELA·2003·Palliative and Supportive Care
DOI 10.1017/s1478951503030062
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The problem of boredom in people with cancer has received little research attention, and yet clinical experience suggests that it has the potential to profoundly affect quality of life in those patients. We were interested in developing a Purposelessness, Understimulation, and Boredom (PUB) Scale to identify this problem and to begin to differentiate it from depression. METHODS: Cancer patients and professionals were interviewed using a semi-structured format to elicit their perceptions of the incidence, causes, scope, and consequences of boredom. From their responses, 45 questions were developed, edited for clarity, and piloted. A total of 100 cancer patients were recruited to participate in the study. Preliminary validation of the PUB using a cross-sectional survey of the measure was conducted. Other instruments used for purposes of convergent and divergent validity included the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale-Anemia, Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, Boredom Proneness Scale, Leisure Boredom Scale, Cancer Behavior Inventory, Systems of Belief Inventory, and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status Scale. RESULTS: The average age of the sample was 62.37 years (SD = 13.43) and was comprised of 60 women (60.00%) and 40 men (40.00%). The results of a factor analysis on the 45 initial items (selected on the basis of professional and patient interviews) created a two-factor scale. The eight items from the strongest factor (items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10) seemed to best tap the construct that could be deemed as overt boredom whereas the six items of the second factor (items 36, 38, 39, 42, 44, 45) seemed to tap the construct of boredom related to meaning and spirituality. Total scale internal consistency, when all 14 items were included in the analysis, yielded a coefficient alpha of 0.84 and good test-retest reliability at 2 weeks (r = .80, p < .001). The novel 14-item PUB Scale was significantly correlated to other measures of boredom; the Boredom Proneness Scale (r = -.588, p < .001) and the Leisure Boredom Scale (r = .576, p < .001). SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The PUB Scale was found to be a statistically viable tool with the ability to detect boredom and differentiate it from depression. In many respects this work is in concert with much of the current research and clinical effort going on in psycho-oncology that defines components of distress that in sum, redefines depression in advanced cancer.

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Authors
PASSIK, S. D., INMAN, A., KIRSH, K., THEOBALD, D., & DICKERSON, P.
Affiliations
University of Kentucky (US)
ORCID
INMAN, ALICE
Venue
Palliative and Supportive Care
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
2003-03
Volume
1
Issue
1
Pages
41-50
ISSN
  • 1478-9515 (ISSN-L)
  • 1478-9523
DOI
10.1017/s1478951503030062
OpenAlex
W2040101580
Cited by
35
References
28
Citations by year
2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 6 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
FWCI
0.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 59 d)
Locations
  • Palliative & Supportive Care (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Cancer-related cognitive impairment studies
Keywords
boredom, purposelessness, cancer patients, scale development, quality of life, psychosocial assessment, psychometric validation, factor structure, test-retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, palliative care, psychosocial interventions, psychosocial screening
MeSH terms
Boredom, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Diagnosis, Differential, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Pilot Projects, Psychological Tests, United States, Reproducibility of Results

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