J Korean Oncol Nurs.  2011 Feb;11(1):49-57.

Reliability and Validity of the Suffering Scale of Family of Patients with Terminal Cancer

• Kang KA

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of an instrument to measure suffering of family of patients with terminal cancer.
METHODS
This research was a methodological study processed as follows: 1) The preliminary 32 items were developed based a conceptual framework of suffering for patients with cancer. 2) The content was validated by an expert panel (n=24) and the family of patients with terminal cancers (n=33). 3) The instrument was validated by survey (n=92). Finally, 29 items were selected in developing final version of the scale.
RESULTS
Seven factors were extracted through factor analysis: 'economical distress', 'loss of meaning in life', 'feeling of social isolation', 'emotional distress', 'burnout', 'guilty feeling', and 'physical discomfort'. These factors explained 66.94% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha and Guttman Split-half coefficient of the 29 items were .93 and .92. respectively.
CONCLUSION
This scale identified as a valid and reliable tool with a high degree of reliability and validity. It can be effectively utilized to assess the degree of suffering of family in palliative care settings.

Keyword

Neoplasms; Family; Stress; Psychological; Instrumentation

MeSH Terms

Humans
Palliative Care
Reproducibility of Results
Stress, Psychological

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Conceptual framework.

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