The Psychometric Properties of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire (FoP-Q) for Cancer Patients in Iran.

Abstract

Fear of progression or recurrence is assumed as a rational response to the threat of cancers and types of cancer treatment. However, the elevated levels of fear in cancer patients can become dysfunctional. Therefore, a valid and reliable questionnaire is unquestionably required for this purpose. This study aimed to translate the Fear of Progression Questionnaire and evaluate its psychometric properties for patients with gastrointestinal cancers in Iran. In this study with a methodological research design, a total number of 430 patients affected with gastrointestinal cancers referring to Northern Iran completed the 43-item Fear of Progression Questionnaire. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated, including the face validity and content validity. Then construct validity was assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Finally, the reliability was assessed using internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and stability (intraclass correlation coefficient). Based on the result of the face and content validity, no items were revised and removed. The five extracted factors included were emotional response, employment, and loss of independence, economy/family, and coping. These factors explained 37% of the total variance of Fear of Progression Questionnaire. Reliability (by Cronbach's alpha) and stability (test retest was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient) were more than 0.7. The study results revealed that the Persian version of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire had acceptable reliability and validity for cancer patients in Iran. Emotional responses explained the most variance of the concept of fear of progression among cancer patients.