Creating the Final Conversations Scale: A Measure of End-of-Life Relational Communication with Terminally Ill Individuals

被引:17
作者
Generous, Mark Alan [1 ]
Keeley, Maureen P. [2 ]
机构
[1] Arizona State Univ, Hugh Downs Sch Human Commun, POB 871205, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
[2] Texas State Univ, Dept Commun Studies, San Marcos, TX 78666 USA
关键词
end-of-life communication; family communication; final conversations; relational communication; scale development; verbal and nonverbal communication;
D O I
10.1080/15524256.2014.938892
中图分类号
C916 [社会工作、社会管理、社会规划];
学科分类号
1204 ;
摘要
Final conversations (FCs) are defined as the communicative interactions, both verbal and nonverbal, that occur between terminally ill patients and relational partners. In this study, the "Final Conversations Scale'' was developed and tested. A total of 152 participants that had engaged in final conversations with individuals that were terminally ill completed the newly developed instrument. Factor analysis produced a five-factor structure, including: messages of spirituality/religion; expressions of love; proactive difficult relationship talk; everyday communication; and talk about illness/death. Participants' perceptions of the relational closeness and difficulty with the deceased significantly influenced the individuals' recalled frequency of FCs messages. Practical and scholarly implications focus on the needs of the family members regarding their communication with terminally ill individuals, as well as directions for future research with the FCs Scale.
引用
收藏
页码:257 / 281
页数:25
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