Emotional suppression and breast cancer: validation research on the Spanish Adaptation of the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS)

Span J Psychol. 2010 May;13(1):406-17. doi: 10.1017/s1138741600003966.

Abstract

Emotional suppression has played an important role in the research on psychosocial factors related to cancer. It has been argued to be an important psychological factor predicting worse psychosocial adjustment in people with cancer and it may mediate health outcomes. The reference instrument in the research on emotional suppression is the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS). The present study analysed construct validity of a new Spanish adaptation of the CECS in a sample of 175 breast cancer patients. The results confirmed the proposal by Watson and Greer claiming that the CECS is composed of three subscales that measure different dimensions, but not independent, from emotional control. The present Spanish version of the CECS showed high internal consistency in each subseale as well as the total score. According to Derogatis (BSI-18) criteria, emotional suppression predicts clinically significant distress. In short, our results support the reliability, validity and utility of this Spanish adaptation of the CECS in clinical and research settings.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anxiety / diagnosis
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / psychology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / surgery
  • Carcinoma, Ductal / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Ductal / psychology*
  • Carcinoma, Ductal / surgery
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison*
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / psychology
  • Emotions*
  • Humans
  • Internal-External Control*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data*
  • Psychometrics / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders / diagnosis
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders / psychology*
  • Repression, Psychology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Spain
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
  • Translating