Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2006

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Barry Edelstein.

Abstract

Substitute decision makers may be in a position to make "preference-sensitive" decisions for their patient, including whether to approve tube feeding. The present study evaluated the only known tube feeding decision aid for substitute decision makers (Mitchell, Tetroe, & O'Conner, 2001). Sixty adults completed a pre-questionnaire, read an active control brochure (control group) or decision aid (experimental group), and completed a post-questionnaire. Both groups demonstrated increased knowledge and decisional conflict at post-test, although the experimental group had higher scores in both. Participants who were either in favor or against tube feeding at pre-test rarely changed their decision at post-test. Control group participants did not report less satisfaction with their decision than the experimental group, and the decision aid was highly acceptable. More research is needed to determine why decisional conflict may increase following the use of a decision aid, and what factors might promote decreased decisional conflict.

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