Maksimenko A.A., Zolotareva A.A., Trotsenko I.D. Russian-language adaptation of the Trust in Physician Scale in a sample of patients with chronic diseases
Aleksander A. Maksimenko, Dr. (Sociology), Ph.D (Psychology), Department of the Faculty of Social Sciences, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; bld. 20, Myasnitskaya str., Moscow, Russia,101000; maximenko.al@gmail.com
Alena A. Zolotareva, Ph.D (Psychology), the Psychology Department of the Faculty of Social Sciences, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; bld. 20, Myasnitskaya str., Moscow, Russia, 101000; alena.a.zolotareva@gmail.com
Ivan D. Trotsenko, Ph.D (Medicine), Executive Director of the NGO “Moscow Oncological Society”, Moscow, Russia; 111123, Russia, Novogireevskaya str., 1; trotsenkoivan@mail.ru
In the context of active digitalization of healthcare, patients’ trust in physicians becomes particularly significant, as it directly influences their overall attitude toward medical recommendations, the choice of treatment strategies, and adherence to prescribed regimens. This issue is especially relevant for patients with chronic illnesses, who require long-term interaction with healthcare professionals, active involvement in decision-making, and a high level of treatment adherence. Under these conditions, trust in the physician becomes a key element of effective medical communication and a predictor of positive clinical outcomes.
The aim of this study was to adapt the Trust in Physician Scale (TPS) into Russian and test it on a sample of patients with chronic conditions.
The study involved 437 subscribers of the online community “Cancer is Curable” on the social network VK (VKontakte), including 415 women and 22 men aged between 27 and 82 years (M = 49.6; SD = 10.1). To assess the validity of the adapted instrument, three tools were used: the Trust in Physician Scale (TPS), the “Compliance Level Questionnaire” measuring social, emotional, and behavioral compliance, and the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS), which assesses the excessive nature of online searches for medical information and the level of distrust toward physicians.
The results showed that the Russian version of the Trust in Physician Scale (TPS) demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.909; ω = 0.912) and an acceptable factor structure. Trust in the physician was positively correlated with compliance (p < 0.01), indicating that patients who have greater trust in their healthcare provider are more likely to follow medical advice and engage in open communication. Additionally, trust in the physician was negatively associated with cyberchondria (p < 0.01).
The findings emphasize the importance of trust as a factor contributing to medical adherence. Developing strategies aimed at enhancing trust may help reduce the severity of cyberchondria and improve the overall effectiveness of patient-physician interactions.
Key words: trust in physician, compliance, cyberchondria, adaptation of the questionnaire, cancer patients, the Trust in Physician Scale (TPS), chronic diseases
For citation: Maksimenko, A.A., Zolotareva, A.A., Trotsenko I.D. (2025). Russian-language adaptation of the Trust in Physician Scale in a sample of patients with chronic diseases. New Psychological Research, No. 2, 88–108. DOI: 10.51217/npsyresearch_2025_05_02_05
Keywords: trust in physician compliance cyberchondria adaptation of the questionnaire cancer patients the Trust in Physician Scale (TPS) chronic diseases
Received: 30th june 2025
Published: 30th june 2025