Abstract
The purpose of this study was try for develop the instrument that measures cognitive appraisal for the preoperative Surgical patients in the adulthood.
First, a draft of the cognitive appraisal scale was used of a conceptual framework of the Stress, Appraisal, and Coping theory by Lazarus and Folkman (1984/1991) and was based on the qualitative data of preoperative patients in adulthood by interview. The draft of the scale was composed of 70 items classified 3 subscales.
Second, this draft of the scale was examined about content validity, face validity, construct validity, and reliability. Content validity was examined by 6 surgical expert nurses and 21 nursing researchers who are adult health care nursing. Face validity was examined by 17 preoperative cancer patient. As a result, this scale was consisted of 55 items classified 4 subscales. Construct validity and reliability were examined by 70 cancer patients who are taking operation within 1 week. Seven factors were extracted from the factor analysis.
Finally, the scale was composed of 47 items classified 7 subscales: depression appraisal, the appraisal of choosing negative coping, good chance appraisal, defense appraisal, challenge appraisal, avoidance appraisal, and the appraisal of choosing optimistic coping in the encounter with the operation. And, the Cronbach's α coefficient showed 0.83 in the whole reliability of the scale. The α coefficient showed 0.86 from 0.62 in every subscale. Therefore, the construct validity and reliability of the scale was established in some degree.
