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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
Nerve Excitability Assessment in Chemotherapy-induced Neurotoxicity
Published on: April 26, 2012
Development and psychometric evaluation of the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy assessment tool
Cindy S Tofthagen1, Susan C McMillan, Kevin E Kip
1College of Nursing, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA. ctofthag@health.usf.edu
Background:
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can be a debilitating and dose-limiting adverse effect of chemotherapy. Comprehensive self-report tools for CIPN are needed for research and clinical practice.
Objective:
The purpose of this psychometric study was to describe the development and evaluate the reliability and validity of a new self-report tool designed to measure CIPN, the Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tool (CIPNAT).
Methods:
One hundred sixty-seven patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy with paclitaxel, docetaxel, cisplatin, or oxaliplatin completed the CIPNAT. Content validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency reliability were assessed.
Results:
Content validity index was very acceptable at 0.95. Convergent validity data were provided by correlation with a measure of the same concept (r = 0.83, P < .001), and differences between contrasting groups (t = 7.66, P < .001) provided evidence of discriminant validity. High test-retest correlations (r = 0.92, P < .001), Cronbach α (α = .95), and significant item-to-total correlations ranging from 0.38 to 0.70 provided evidence of reliability.
Conclusions:
Results provide evidence of the validity and reliability of the CIPNAT, which can be used for comprehensive assessment of CIPN.
Implications For Practice:
Use of the CIPNAT in research may lead to a better understanding of CIPN and guide nurses in developing and testing of interventions to relieve suffering and enhance quality of life for patients with CIPN.
