RATIONALITY, EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION AND CONTROL - PSYCHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF A QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RESEARCH IN PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY

In some studies rationality, anti-emotionality and the control of (neg ative) emotions were found to be psychological risk factors for cancer . In the present study instruments were developed in order to cross-va lidate the role of the 'rationality/anti-emotionality (RAE)'-concept a nd the 'emotional expression and control (EEC)'-concept. The psychomet ric characteristics of a RAE-scale and EEC-scales were investigated in 4302 healthy women attending a breast cancer screening programme in T he Netherlands. Principal components analysis revealed three factors f or the RAE-scale: (1) Rationality; (2) Emotionality; and (3) Understan ding. The EEC-scales consist of three factors that indicate: (1) expre ssion of emotions to oneself; (2) expression of emotions towards other s; and (3) control of emotions. These RAE and EEC scales can be of imp ortance in psycho-oncological research, especially when: (1) the more refined subscales are used; and (2) age of the subjects is taken into account.