Psychological Adjustment Measures for Chronic Illness: A Narrative Review

Farzaneh  Ebrahimgol; Mohammad Saeed  Khanjani; Kianoush  Abdi; Mahta Alsadat  Aarabi; Maryam  Latifian

doi:10.18502/ijps.v20i2.18205

Farzaneh Ebrahimgol Department of Counseling, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Saeed Khanjani Department of Counseling, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Kianoush Abdi Department of Rehabilitation Management, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mahta Alsadat Aarabi Chronic Diseases; Chronic Illness; Measure; Psychological Adaptation; Psychological Adjustment
Maryam Latifian Substance Abuse and Dependence Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v20i2.18205

Keywords: Chronic Diseases; Chronic Illness; Measure; Psychological Adaptation; Psychological Adjustment

Abstract

Objective: Chronic illnesses carry substantial psychological implications, emphasizing the critical nature of psychological adaptation to these conditions. Adequate assessment tools are essential for gauging adaptation levels within this context. Thus, this study aims to conduct a thorough review of psychological adaptation instruments designed for chronic illnesses.

Method: This narrative review scrutinizes articles published from 1990 to November 2024 in both Persian and English languages, focusing on psychological adaptation to chronic illnesses. The search encompassed prominent scientific databases, including "SID", "Irandoc", "Web of Science", "PubMed", and "Scopus". Relevant keywords were employed to retrieve articles discussing adaptation tools for chronic illnesses. Subsequently, the "consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments" were applied to assess the psychometric properties of the identified tools.

Results: Within this study, the exploration identified 8 instruments tailored to measure psychological adaptation to chronic illnesses. These instruments encompass measures for psychological adaptation to cancer (Mini-Mac), adaptation to ostomy (OAS), adaptation to type 1 diabetes (DAS_1), adaptation to drug-resistant tuberculosis (AS_DRTBP), adaptation to type 2 diabetes (DAAS), psychosocial adaptation to Parkinson's disease (Psychosocial Adaptation in PD), psychosocial adaptation to HIV infection (MAHIVS), and adaptation to breast cancer (AIMI-IBC). However, comprehensive reporting of psychometric properties was often lacking for the majority of these instruments.

Conclusion: The outcomes of this study underscore the significance of employing valid and dependable instruments tailored to the unique requirements of individuals grappling with chronic illnesses. Given the pivotal role of psychological adaptation, the careful formulation and implementation of specialized measures are recommended to facilitate the design and psychometric evaluation of adaptation measurement tools pertinent to diverse chronic illnesses in Iran.