Abstract

BERMEJO HIGUERA, José Carlos  and  VILLACIEROS DURBAN, Marta. Components of hope in situation of terminality: study for development of a measurement scale. Gerokomos [online]. 2016, vol.27, n.3, pp.97-103. ISSN 1134-928X.

Objective: to analyse the factors that underlie the hope at the end of life through the development of a measurement scale. Method: Validation study. Of a population of approximately 300 attendees at the Conference on Palliative Care organized by a healthcare center, 163 valid questionnaires were collected, 141 (86.5%) women and 22 (13.5%) men, with an average age of 40,92 (d.t. 14.52, 17 and maximum 75 minimum). After a review of the literature on hope concept and definitions by recognized authors a list of 78 items was developed and a exploratory factor analysis was developed. Results: a 69 items scale with 6 factors was obtained: Company (20 items, alpha 0.921), Spirituality (12 items, 0.907), Personal attitude (19 items, 0.864), Denial (3 items, 0.674), Hold (7 items, 0.742) and Fight (8 items, 0.813). There are significant differences (p < .05) among scores of groups that differ in their beliefs about what lies beyond death. They scored lowest, those who do not believe there is anything against those who believe that there are lovedones and those who believe that after is God (242 vs 264 and 269). Conclusions: results suggest that hope is obtained through a 3-way path, the relationship with others (or beloved), with God (or trascendence) and with one's self (or personal attitude). We emphasize that the spirituality adds hope to whom believe that there is something beyond (beloved or God) in terminality situation.

Keywords : palliative care; hope; scale measurement; spirituality.

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