Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Scale of Detection of Existential Loneliness in patients with advanced diseases

  • Silvia Viel Sirito Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona
  • Joaquín T. Limonero Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona
  • Jorge Maté Méndez GIES). Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Institut Català d’Oncologia. Unidad de Psicooncología (L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona).
  • Dolors Mateo Ortega Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa. Unidad de Cuidados Paliativos. Unidad de Geriatría
  • Montserrat Bernaus Martí Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí (Sabadell, Barcelona). Unidad de Cuidados Paliativos
  • Vanesa Castejón Itey Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí (Sabadell, Barcelona). Unidad de Cuidados Paliativos
  • Cruz Sánchez Julvé Consorci Sanitari del Garraf, Hospital-Residència Sant Camil
  • Jaume Martínez-Romans Hospital de la Vall d’Hebron. (Barcelona). Unidad de Psicooncología
  • Agustina Sirgo Hospital Universitario San Juan de Reus (Reus, Tarragona). Unidad de Psicooncología
  • Beatriz Rubio Hospital Universitario San Juan de Reus (Reus, Tarragona). Unidad de Psicooncología
  • Lourdes Forn Vilanova Hospital Universitario Mutua de Terrassa
  • Clara Fraguell Grupo Mutuam. EAPS
  • María José Gómez Romero Facultad de Psicología. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/PSIC.63653
Keywords: advanced disease, existential loneliness, existential suffering, screening, psychometric properties, sensitivity, specificity

Abstract

Aim: To analyze the psychometric properties and the clinical utility of the Scale of Existential Loneliness (EDSOL) in hospitalized patients with advanced disease. Method: To determine the psychometric properties of the scale, the EDSOL scale was administered along with other instruments to 103 adult patients with advanced diseases admitted to 5 palliative care units of Catalan hospitals. Results: The scale presents an excellent reliability measured through Cronbach’s alpha (0.902) and adequate temporal stability (r = 0.71). The scale showed positive and significant correlations with anxiety and depression of the HADS scale and with the overall score of HADS, as well as with the clinical psychological assessment (p <0.01). Through the statistical analysis of the ROC curves, it was determined that the scale had a sensitivity of 79.8% and a specificity of 74.6% and it is suggested that the cut-off point for the detection of EDSOL be a score of 5. Conclusions: The EDSOL scale has good psychometric properties, is simple, brief, reliable and easy to administer. We consider that is an useful scale to detect the presence of existential loneliness in hospitalized patients suffering from advanced diseases.

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How to Cite
Viel Sirito S., Limonero J. T., Maté Méndez J., Mateo Ortega D., Bernaus Martí M., Castejón Itey V., Sánchez Julvé C., Martínez-Romans J., Sirgo A., Rubio B., Forn Vilanova L., Fraguell C. y Gómez Romero M. J. (2019). Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Scale of Detection of Existential Loneliness in patients with advanced diseases. Psicooncología, 16(1), 161-176. https://doi.org/10.5209/PSIC.63653
Issue
Vol. 16 No. 1 (2019)
Section
Articles

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