Development and validation of the cancer worries inventory: A measure of illness-related cognitions

The Worries Inventory (CWI), containing 60 Likertlike items and 1 open-ende d item, was completed by 185 cancer patients, who also completed one of fou r other measures: the Profile of Mood States-Short Form, the Stanford Inven tory of Cancer Patient Adjustment, the Revised Impact of Event Scale, and t he Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale-General. Factor analysis r esulted in a shortened, 24-item CWI that contained five factors (death and dying, burden, spirituality, chemotherapy, and treatment) and demonstrated good internal consistencies. Construct validity was evidenced by significan t inverse relationships with positive mood, self-efficacy for coping with c ancer, quality of life, and intrusive thoughts and by a significant positiv e relationship with five measures of negative mood.