Abstract

Purpose
We explored the reliability and validity of the Pain-related Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep (PBAS) scale among patients with cancer. Further, we compared the usability of the PBAS scale with that of the Cancer-related Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep-14 (C-DBAS-14) among patients with cancer.
Materials and Methods
The medical records of 252 patients with cancer who visited the Sleep Clinic from August 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The responses of the enrolled patients to the PBAS, C-DBAS-14, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Numeric Rating Scale of pain were collected.
Results
The internal consistency reliability of the PBAS scale was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.96). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the two-factor structure of the PBAS for patients with cancer is a good fit for the model (CFI=0.99, TLI=0.99, RMSEA=0.14, SRMR=0.05). The convergent validity of the Korean version of the PBAS in patients with cancer was good, as indicated by its significant association with pain severity (r=0.63, p<0.001), C-DBAS-14 (r=0.33, p<0.001), and ISI (r=0.21, p<0.01). The PBAS adequately reflected an increase in pain severity and was more effective and appropriate for capturing pain-related dysfunctional sleep beliefs than the C-DBAS-14.
Conclusion
The Korean version of the PBAS showed high reliability and validity in patients with cancer, and applicability across cancer types and cancer-related beliefs.

• Keywords: Sleep initiation and maintenance disorders, Sleep, Pain, Cognition, Neoplasms