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Psychometric properties of the RCMAS-2 in pediatric cancer patients
Li-Min Wu1, Yi Liu1, Hsing-Mei Chen2
1School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, No.100, Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung, PO Box 807, Taiwan.
Insights
The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, second edition (RCMAS-2) is reliable for pediatric cancer patients. However, the Physiological Anxiety subscale needs cautious interpretation due to low internal consistency.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Psychometrics
- Child Psychology
Background:
- The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, second edition (RCMAS-2) is a common tool for assessing anxiety in children.
- Limited data exists on the RCMAS-2's validity and reliability in pediatric cancer patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of the RCMAS-2 in pediatric cancer patients.
- To assess the reliability and construct validity of the RCMAS-2 for this specific population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 370 pediatric cancer patients (ages 6-19) from three medical centers in Taiwan.
- Reliability was assessed using internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis examined the factor structure.
- Construct validity was evaluated through known-groups analyses.
Main Results:
- The RCMAS-2 demonstrated good internal consistency for the full scale (α = 0.90).
- The Physiological Anxiety subscale showed low internal consistency (α = 0.65).
- Significant differences in anxiety were found between genders and between patients on versus off treatment. The hypothesized three-factor model did not fit well.
Conclusions:
- The RCMAS-2 is reliable and valid for assessing anxiety in pediatric cancer patients aged 6-19.
- The Physiological Anxiety subscale scores require cautious interpretation in this population.
- Further research is needed to evaluate the RCMAS-2's structure in pediatric oncology.
Purpose Of The Research:
The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, second edition (RCMAS-2) is widely used internationally to assess anxiety. However, there is little data regarding its validity for pediatric cancer patients. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the RCMAS-2 in pediatric cancer patients.
Methods And Sample:
This cross-sectional study included 370 pediatric cancer patients (aged 6-19 years) that were recruited from three medical centers between August 2008 and March 2011 in Taiwan. Reliability was evaluated by internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine the factor structure. Construct validity was examined by known-groups analyses.
Key Results:
The internal consistency of the full scale was good (α = 0.90) but the scores of Physiological Anxiety subscale was low (α = 0.65). Using known-groups validity, significant differences in anxiety were observed between genders and between patients that were on and off treatment. The hypothesized three-factor model did not adequately fit (χ(2)/d.f = 2.4; p < 0.01, GFI = 0.80, CFI = 0.71, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.01).
Conclusions:
The RCMAS-2 demonstrated reliability and validity for use with pediatric cancer patients aged 6 and 19 years. Further structure evaluation of the RCMAS-2 in pediatric oncology population is needed, and the scores of the Physiological Anxiety subscale should be interpreted with caution.
