Iranian Women’s Decision Making: Preferred Roles, Experienced Involvement, and Decisional Conflict When Undergoing Surgery for Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Background: Treatment decision making largely depends on patients’ own preferences. However, the availability of different treatment approaches often results in decisional conflict, discomfort, doubtfulness, and uncertainty about the best option.

Objectives: This study evaluated decision-making participation regarding surgery among women with early-stage breast cancer.

Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study included 328 Iranian women with early-stage breast cancer. A convenience sample completed a demographic questionnaire, the Control Preferences Scale, the nine-item Shared Decision Making Questionnaire, and the Decisional Conflict Scale.

Findings: Most participants preferred to maintain passive roles. High decisional conflict was associated with uncertainty about surgical treatment options, whereas lower decisional conflict was related to values clarity. Although preferred roles were not related to experienced involvement, they were related to heightened decisional conflict.