Purpose of the Scale

The purpose of the Scale is to identify and understand the unique way in which each cancer patient copes with their illness. Through this assessment, it becomes possible to recognize the psychological strategies patients adopt in response to the diagnosis and progression of the disease.

Scale Analysis

The Scale was developed by Watson in 1994 and consists of 29 statements. These statements form five distinct subscales, each representing a different coping strategy: helplessness–hopelessness, cognitive avoidance, anxious preoccupation, fighting spirit, and fatalism. Each subscale reflects a specific way the patient deals with the cancer experience.

Scale Scoring

Scoring is based on a 4-point Likert scale, where 1 corresponds to “does not apply to me” and 4 to “applies to me very much.” The total score for each subscale is calculated by summing the individual item scores, indicating the extent to which the patient employs that particular coping strategy. A higher subscale score signifies greater use of that strategy.

Statistical Analysis of the Scale

Factor analysis revealed the existence of two main groups: the first is associated with maladjustment (including the subscales of helplessness–hopelessness and anxious preoccupation), and the second with positive adjustment (e.g., fighting spirit). Factors within the same group showed positive correlations with one another, while negative correlations were found between factors from different groups (r = -0.03 to -0.70), all of which were statistically significant (p < 0.001).

Validity and Reliability of the Scale

Factor analysis indicates that the Scale has good construct validity. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient ranges from 0.68 (for the helplessness–hopelessness subscale) to 0.93 (for the fighting spirit subscale), indicating high internal consistency and reliability across the subscales.

References

Anagnostopoulos, F., Kolokotroni, P., Spanea, E., & Chryssochoou, M. (2006). The Mini‐Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini‐MAC) scale: construct validation with a Greek sample of breast cancer patients. Psycho‐Oncology: Journal of the Psychological, Social and Behavioral Dimensions of Cancer, 15(1), 79–89.
Watson, M., Law, M. G., Santos, M. D., Greer, S., Baruch, J., & Bliss, J. (1994). The Mini-MAC: further development of the mental adjustment to cancer scale. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 12(3), 33–46.