Conceptualization and development of the acceptance of chronic health conditions scale
Abstract
Acceptance of chronic conditions often has been studied from the perspective of grief and loss. This paper presents a new conceptualization of acceptance of chronic conditions that is grounded in the perspective of those living with a chronic condition and focuses on adaptation to and acceptance of change in one's life. Data obtained from a sample of 822 persons with multiple sclerosis and a sample of more than 2,000 polio survivors support the reliability and validity of the new Acceptance of Chronic Health Conditions Scale.
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The ACHC Scale is a validated and reliable 10-item self-report instrument developed to measure a person's acceptance of chronic health conditions, such as MS.
“The Acceptance of Chronic Health Conditions (ACHC) Scale is a validated and reliable 10-item self-report instrument developed to measure a person's acceptance of chronic health conditions, such as MS.”
From Neuropsychology intervention for managing invisible symptoms of MS (NIMIS-MS) group: A pilot effectiveness and acceptability study (2024) · cites this paper as Stuifbergen et al., 2008
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- Authors
- Stuifbergen, A., Becker, H., Blozis, S., & Beal, C.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- University of California, Davis (US)
- Venue
- Issues in Mental Health Nursing
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2008-01
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 101-114
- ISSN
- 0161-2840 (ISSN-L)
- 1096-4673
- OpenAlex
- W2041442274
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 7 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 2.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Issues in Mental Health Nursing (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Nursing Research (R01NR003195)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Keywords
- scale development, multiple sclerosis, polio survivors, adaptation to change, grief and loss, psychometric validation, reliability and validity
- MeSH terms
- Activities of Daily Living, Adaptation, Psychological, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Attitude to Health, Chronic Disease, Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Multiple Sclerosis, Nursing Assessment, Poliomyelitis, Psychometrics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Southwestern United States, Nursing Methodology Research, Qualitative Research
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