Kool et al developed the Illness Invalidation Inventory (3*I) to measure feelings of illness invalidation felt by patients with a rheumatic disease. The authors are from Utrecht University, Wayne State University, Diakonessenhuis Utrecht and University Medical Center Utrecht.
Patient selection: rheumatic disease
Composition: 5 discounting and 3 lack of understanding items
Discounting items:
(1) finds the ability to work more on some days than others odd
(2) should be tougher
(3) gives unhelpful advice
(4) implies symptoms exaggerated
(5) should be able to do more work
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Frequency Past Year
|
Points
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never
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1
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seldom
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2
|
|
sometimes
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3
|
|
often
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4
|
|
very often
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5
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Understanding items:
(6) takes me seriously
(7) understands the consequences of the illness
(8) lets me talk about what is on my mind
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Frequency Past Year
|
Points
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|
never
|
5
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|
seldom
|
4
|
|
sometimes
|
3
|
|
often
|
2
|
|
very often
|
1
|
subscore for discounting =
= SUM(points for all 5 parameters)
subscore for misunderstanding =
= SUM(points for all 3 parameters)
total score =
= SUM(points for all 8 items)
Interpretation:
• minimum discounting subscore: 5
• maximum discounting subscore: 25
• minimum misunderstanding subscore: 3
• maximum misunderstanding subscore: 15
• minimum total score: 8
• maximum total score: 40
• The higher the score the greater the sense of illness invalidation.
• A patient with a greater sense of illness invalidation may show worse social functioning and worse mental well-being.
