Table 1.

Exploratory factor analysis (n=200), Cronbach’s α values and factor loadings

Item wording	Loadings
	SBJL	DISJL	COUJL	PPREF	PPMED	ASB	AVB
α	0.726	0.663	0.860	0.772	0.884	0.803	0.650
SBJL
The potential consequences of justified accusations evoke a feeling of guilt	0.903	−0.038	0.015	0.023	−0.018	0.036	0.021
The potential consequences of justified accusations evoke a feeling of shame	0.760	−0.046	−0.072	0.029	−0.004	0.035	0.096
I regard the potential consequences of justified accusations as a personal attack	0.372	0.111	−0.057	−0.136	−0.018	−0.092	−0.195
DISJL
I regard the potential consequences of a justified accusation as a form of justice (reversed)	−0.098	0.643	−0.016	−0.126	0.018	0.094	0.015
The potential consequences of justified accusations are justified (reversed)	−0.064	0.612	0.018	0.024	−0.138	−0.053	0.019
The potential consequences of justified accusations are a way to improve the quality of care (reversed)	0.054	0.561	0.098	0.089	0.131	0.158	−0.080
The potential consequences of justified accusations make me feel angry	0.111	0.485	−0.117	−0.045	0.055	−0.039	−0.005
COUJL
The potential consequences of unjustified accusations evoke in me the fear of being accused	−0.022	−0.028	−0.855	0.043	−0.023	0.057	0.070
The potential consequences of unjustified accusations worry me	0.028	−0.040	−0.778	0.020	−0.019	0.048	−0.106
The potential consequences of unjustified accusations make me feel stressed	0.122	0.090	−0.745	−0.070	0.072	−0.009	−0.007
PPREF
When a patient directly or indirectly criticises previous treatments, I feel pressured to refer the patient even if it is clinically not strictly necessary	−0.018	0.029	−0.037	−0.761	0.024	0.036	−0.044
When a patient quotes decisions of other physicians to stress the need for intervention, I feel pressured to refer the patient even if it is clinically not strictly necessary	0.025	−0.064	−0.009	−0.743	−0.102	−0.026	−0.055
When a patient requests further examination or treatment, I feel pressured to refer the patient even if it is clinically not strictly necessary	0.070	0.126	0.046	−0.546	−0.175	0.069	0.131
PPMED
When a patient describes their symptoms in extensive emotional words, I feel pressured to prescribe medicine even if it is clinically not strictly necessary	0.022	0.004	−0.008	0.055	−0.800	−0.035	−0.089
When a patient quotes decisions of other physicians to stress the need for intervention, I feel pressured to prescribe medicine even if it is clinically not strictly necessary	−0.020	0.002	−0.023	−0.083	−0.789	0.087	0.044
When a patient requests further examination or treatment, I feel pressured to prescribe medicine even if it is clinically not strictly necessary	−0.013	0.009	−0.014	−0.079	−0.785	0.027	0.068
When a patient directly or indirectly criticises previous treatments, I feel pressured to prescribe medicine even if it is clinically not strictly necessary	0.040	−0.036	0.056	−0.054	−0.764	0.092	−0.060
ASB
How often do you prescribe unnecessary medication to prevent a potential accusation?	0.039	0.037	0.098	0.108	−0.095	0.768	0.028
How often do you order tests that are not clinically indicated in order to prevent a potential accusation?	−0.025	−0.007	−0.157	−0.088	−0.021	0.638	−0.058
How often do you carry out procedures that are probably unnecessary in order to prevent a potential accusation?	0.017	0.024	−0.126	0.008	−0.063	0.626	−0.104
How often do you make unnecessary referrals to physicians with other specialisms to prevent a potential accusation?	−0.016	0.079	−0.081	−0.241	0.028	0.595	−0.037
AVB
How often do you refuse to treat patients with complex medical problems in order to avoid a potential accusation in the event of a complication	−0.041	0.108	−0.093	0.190	−0.126	−0.074	−0.659
How often do you refuse to treat patients from whom you expect an accusation in order to prevent a potential accusation in the event of a complication	0.019	−0.068	0.025	−0.060	0.081	0.112	−0.604
How often do you avoid high-risk procedures in order to prevent a potential accusation in the event of a complication	−0.012	0.013	−0.002	−0.092	−0.040	0.043	−0.592
Eigenvalues	1.516	2.235	1.098	1.250	3.124	5.295	1.771
% of variation explained (cumulative)	6.315	15.628	20.205	25.412	38.428	60.489	67.870

Bold values indicates items that loaded >0.36.

ASB, assurance behaviour; AVB, avoidance behaviour; COUJL, concerns about unjustified litigation; DISJL, disapproval of justified litigation; PPMED, perceived patient pressure to prescribe medicine; PPREF, perceived patient pressure to refer; SBJL, self-blame for justified litigation.