A scoping review of patient self-disclosure assessment tools in healthcare settings

Abstract

To conduct a scoping review of patient self-disclosure assessment tools both domestically and internationally, and to provide a reference for the selection of clinical assessment tools or related research. This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley, and the findings were reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist, including CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, and CINAHL. The search period spanned from the inception of each database to November 1,2025,comprehensively identify literature related to patient self-disclosure assessment tools. A total of 17 studies were included, comprising 11 distinct assessment tools for patient self-disclosure. Among these, 6 were generic tools and 5 were disease‑specific tools. These instruments were primarily developed for university students, trauma‑exposed populations, and cancer patients, aiming to assess individuals’willingness and tendency to self‑disclose either in normal daily contexts or following traumatic experiences. Overall, the psychological measurement properties of these tools demonstrated acceptable reliability when used in clinical settings. Although a considerable number of self‑disclosure assessment tools are available for patient populations, the methodological rigor of tool development and the robustness of their psychometric properties require further improvement. There is a pressing need to develop patient‑specific self‑disclosure assessment tools that are grounded in traditional Chinese cultural contexts and exhibit high reliability and validity.