Assessing self-efficacy for coping with cancer: development and psychometric analysis of the brief version of the Cancer Behavior Inventory (CBI-B).

Objective: The Cancer Behavior Inventory-Brief Version (CBI-B), a 12-item measure of self-efficacy for coping with cancer derived from the longer 33-item version, was subjected to psychometric analysis.

Method: Participants consisted of three samples: 735 cancer patients from a multicenter CCOP study, 199 from central Indiana, and 370 from a national sample. Samples were mixed with respect to initial cancer diagnosis. Participants completed the CBI-B and measures of quality of life, optimism, life satisfaction, depression, and sickness impact.

Results: Exploratory Factor Analysis with oblique rotation yielded four factors in the first sample: (1) Maintaining Independence and Positive Attitude; (2) Participating in Medical Care; (3) Coping and Stress Management; and (4) Managing Affect, which were confirmed in subsequent samples. Cronbach α coefficient for the 12-item CBI-B ranged from 0.84 to 0.88. Validity of the CBI-B was demonstrated by positive correlations with measures of quality of life and optimism, and negative correlations with measures of depression and sickness impact.

Conclusion: The CBI-B is a valid brief measure of self-efficacy for coping that could be easily integrated into clinical oncology research and practice, and also used in screening patients.