Women describe pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery
as difficult to recover from. Expectancy is related to recovery in other
surgeries but has not been examined in POP. There is no established measure of
surgery expectancy or utility in women with POP. This research had four aims:
1) to establish the factor structure of a new measure of POP surgery
expectancy; 2) to establish predictive validity of the expectancy measure by
examining its ability to predict self-rated recovery over time; 3) to establish
concurrent validity of the expectancy measure; and 4) to examine the ability of
utility to predict additional variance in recovery. Exploratory factor analysis
revealed a three-factor solution. Factors are conceptualized as: 1)
Bladder/Bowel Function; 2) Sexual Function; and 3) Physical Function.
Bladder/Bowel Function correlated with optimism and self-efficacy (r = .17, p = .03 and r = .27, p = .00, respectively). Physical
Function was predictive of recovery at 42 days (standardized coefficient = .25;
p < .05). However, these factors
were generally poor and inconsistent predictors of recovery. Utility did not
predict additional variance in recovery. Potential explanations for the poor
predictive ability of the measure are discussed. The development of a measure
that amends these limitations may still be beneficial. Further, exploring and establishing
the relationship between surgery expectancy, utility, and recovery may guide
physician-patient discussions and lead to improved surgical outcomes.