Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Version of the Epilepsy-Related Fears in Parents Questionnaire

Abstract

PurposeEpilepsy affects both children and their parents, as it is a chronic disease with recurrent seizures. Parents play a key role in acceptance of the diagnosis of epilepsy by the child and compliance of the child with its treatment. Therefore, the perceptions and experiences of parents about this process are critical. The Epilepsy-Related Fears in Parents Questionnaire is one such instrument, and it has been used to measure the epilepsy-related fear experienced by parents who had children with epilepsy in Germany. This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Epilepsy-Related Fears in the Parents Questionnaire in Turkey. Design and methodsThe study was conducted on 403 parents using a descriptive correlational method. The Sociodemographic Information Form and Epilepsy-Related Fears in Parents Questionnaire were used to gather data. Data analysis and evaluation were performed using factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, and item–total score correlation. ResultsSeventeen items were recorded on the main scale and other items on two subscales. The two subscales recorded a variance of 55.695%. Turkish Cronbach's alpha coefficient recorded a total of 0.929. Because of confirmatory factor analysis, the model fit index results were recorded as follows: 0.94 as the Goodness-of-Fit Index and 0.92 as the Comparative Fit Index. ConclusionsThe study determined that the Turkish version of the Epilepsy-Related Fears in Parents Questionnaire was a valid and reliable measurement tool. Practice implicationsAll health professionals can use this scale to evaluate fears of parents who have children diagnosed with epilepsy.