[The body concept for prostate carcinoma patients. Development and testing of a questionnaire which ascertains uro-oncological patients' attitudes to their own bodies under the influence of surgery-conditioned consequences].

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is the construction of a questionnaire which determines uro-oncological patients' attitudes to their own bodies. The questionnaire will be tested by means of psychometric criteria for suitability. In this way, the emotional-affective and perceptual--cognitive characteristics of the body concept will be detected more effectively. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: For the construction, 12 interviews with patients were conducted and items from four body concept questionnaires were analysed. Subsequently, a draft version, containing 133 items, was written. A total of 305 participants (PCa n=205; healthy n=100) were questioned in 2 studies. Thereafter the suitability of the items could be checked by psychometric and factor analytical criteria.
RESULTS: The psychometric testing of the statements led to a selection of the items. 40 items could be established as applicable and were therefore accepted for the final questionnaire.
CONCLUSION: The indentified scales show good psychometric characteristics and also differentiate between the healthy and the clinical samples. Preliminary analyses prove the validity of the scales, although this should be subjected to further testing for assurance. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.