Cross-Ethnicity Measurement Equivalence of Family Coping for Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract

Objective: The current study examines the equivalence of a measure of family coping, the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation scales (F-COPES), in Chinese American and Korean American breast cancer survivors (BCS). Methods: Factor structure and cross-ethnicity equivalence of the F-COPES were tested using structural equation modeling with 157 Chinese American and Korean American BCS in California. Results: Of the original F-COPES subscales, acquiring social support, reframing, and passive appraisal did not adequately fit the data. Thus, a modified five-factor structure of the F-COPES was created. The modified F-COPES was validated with respect to quality of life, psychological distress, and family communication. Conclusions: The findings illustrate the importance of cross-ethnicity measurement testing and provide a rationale for developing culturally tailored measurements for ethnic minority populations.