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Assessing anxiety in Black men with prostate cancer: further data on the reliability and validity of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC)

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Abstract

Purpose

The National Cancer Institute has highlighted the need for psychosocial research to focus on Black cancer patients. This applies to Black men with prostate cancer, as there is little systematic research concerning psychological distress in these men. This study was designed to validate the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC) in Black men with prostate cancer to help facilitate research within this group.

Methods

At three institutions, Black men with prostate cancer (n = 101) completed the MAX-PC, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Distress Thermometer.

Results

The average age of the 101 men was 66 (SD = 10) and 58 % had early-stage disease. The MAX-PC and its subscales (Prostate Cancer Anxiety, PSA Anxiety, and Fear of Recurrence) produced strong coefficient alphas (0.89, 0.88, 0.71, and 0.77, respectively). Factor analysis supported the three-factor structure of the scale established in earlier findings. The MAX-PC also demonstrated strong validity. MAX-PC total scores correlated highly with the Anxiety subscale of the HADS (r = 0.59, p < 0.01) and the FACT Emotional Well-Being subscale (r = −0.55, p < 0.01). Demonstrating discriminant validity, the correlation with the HADS Depression subscale (r = 0.40, p < 0.01) and the CES-D (r = 0.42, p < 0.01) was lower compared to that with the HADS Anxiety subscale.

Conclusions

The MAX-PC is valid and reliable in Black men with prostate cancer. We hope the validation of this scale in Black men will help facilitate psychosocial research in this group that is disproportionately adversely affected by this cancer.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by the Martell Foundation and grant #5R01-CA-85229.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 641 Lexington Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10022, USA

    Christian J. Nelson, Tatiana D. Starr & Andrew J. Roth

  2. Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic, Weston, FL, USA

    Richard J. Macchia

  3. Department of Urology, Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Richard J. Macchia & Llewellyn Hyacinthe

  4. Department of Urology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Richard J. Macchia

  5. Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Steven Friedman

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  1. Christian J. Nelson
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  2. Tatiana D. Starr
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  3. Richard J. Macchia
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  4. Llewellyn Hyacinthe
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  5. Steven Friedman
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  6. Andrew J. Roth
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Correspondence to Christian J. Nelson.

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We wish to confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with this publication and there has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome.

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Nelson, C.J., Starr, T.D., Macchia, R.J. et al. Assessing anxiety in Black men with prostate cancer: further data on the reliability and validity of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC). Support Care Cancer 24, 2905–2911 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3092-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3092-7

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