Caregivers play an essential role in supporting cancer patients through
their experiences, but little research explores caregiver involvement in
treatment decision-making. Research demonstrates lower caregiver
involvement is associated with higher regret and conflict among cancer
patients, though this research primarily has been qualitative (Katie Lee &
Knobf, 2016). This study examined the relationship between caregiver
involvement in treatment decisions and patient-related decisional outcomes
of satisfaction, regret, and conflict. We hypothesized that a greater level
of caregiver involvement in treatment decision-making will be associated
with patients’ greater satisfaction and lower regret and conflict. Patients
receiving treatment for lung cancer (N=21) reported their caregiver’s
involvement in lung cancer treatment decision making, which was then coded
(involved or not involved) from semi-structured patient interviews. Patient
decisional outcomes were measured using the Satisfaction with Decision
Instrument, Decision Regret Scale, and SURE test of decisional certainty.