Evento: 38th Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society – Ehps 24
Cascais, 4-8 Settembre
Contributo: Individual drives to cancer screening attendance: a novel instrument to assess motivations
Autori: Marcella Bianchi, Miriam Capasso, Daniela Caso, Anna Rosa Donizetti
Abstract: Background: Due to the importance of early cancer detection in reducing mortality and severity of the illness, understanding the psycho-social determinants of cancer screening (CS) attendance is pivotal. Among the constructs providing a broad picture of the processes leading individuals to adhere, literature has highlighted the importance of cognitive and emotional factors. Still, specific motivational components have received less attention. Thus, this study aims to develop and address the varied motivations underlying participation in CSs. Methods: A convenience sample of 591 participants pertaining to the target population of colorectal, cervical and breast CSs filled in an online questionnaire assessing the items formulated ad hoc to catch the motivation, as well as an adaptation of the Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire adapted to CS participation, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and a measure of attitude towards CSs. Findings: Results from EFA revealed a six-dimensional structure encompassing self-care motives, caring for loved ones, vicarious experience of cancer, socially and institutionally-endorsed motives, celebrity-endorsed motives, and death- and cancer-related fears. Subsequently, a CFA demonstrated adequate fit indices and supported the superiority of the six-factor structure without a second-order factor (CFI = .91; TLI = .91; RMSEA = .06; SRMR = .05). Correlations with the Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire dimensions suggested adequate convergent validity. Concerning divergent validity, all correlations with attitude and positive and negative affects were small or non-significant. Discussion: The results sustain the robustness and validity of the proposed scale, providing a valuable tool for understanding a diverse set of motivations underlying CS attendance behaviours.