A Review of Acceptance Measures for Cancer Survivors: Employment, Multicultural, and Language Considerations.

Purpose: This review examines commonly used acceptance measures in cancer and rehabilitation research to evaluate their theoretical foundations, psychometric properties, and relevance to cancer populations. The goal is to identify measurement gaps and inform strength-based rehabilitation practices. Methods: A narrative review was conducted of acceptance measures used in cancer and rehabilitation research. Each measure was assessed based on alignment with rehabilitation principles, psychometric quality, cultural adaptability, and applicability to vocational outcomes. Results: Acceptance measures used in current cancer research reflect a predominantly medical model approach. Their language and constructs may unintentionally reinforce deficit-based views. In contrast, tools developed by rehabilitation researchers, like the Adaptation to Disability Scale-Revised (ADS-R) and the Multidimensional Acceptance of Loss Scale (MALS) emphasize psychosocial adaptation and strengths, though they have been rarely used or validated in cancer populations. Conclusions: Rehabilitation counseling has an opportunity to lead the development of acceptance measures that are strengths-based, culturally responsive, and applicable to vocational settings. Existing measures need adaptation or replacement to better serve diverse cancer survivors. Such tools can enhance psychosocial assessment, guide interventions, and support employment-related outcomes in cancer survivorship.