The measurement of transitions in cancer scale

Background and Purpose: Health-illness transitions are changes in life phase, situation, or status related to shifts between health and illness. We report on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Measurement of Transitions in Cancer Scale (MOT-CA), a 7-item instrument that assesses extent and management of a range of transitions experienced by cancer patients. Methods: We identified content domains, developed operational definitions, generated items, conducted expert review (n = 7) and cognitive interviews (n = 13), and tested MOT-CA with our target population (n = 105). Results: MOT-CA has content and convergent validity and a 2-factor structure consisting of Personal Transitions (physical, emotional, social, spiritual; eigenvalue = 2.994) and Care Transitions (cancer status, treatment, approach to care; eigenvalue = 1.444). Conclusion: Although additional testing is indicated, the MOT-CA is valid, brief, and acceptable.