Psychometric Properties of Fears of Cancer Recurrence Scales in Turkish Hematologic Cancer Patients

Background and Objectives: Fears of cancer recurrence (FCR) represents one of the most common psychological problems in cancer patients. Therefore, valid and reliable measurement tools are needed to assess FCR in this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of FCR scales (Fears of Cancer Recurrence-7 Item Version [FCR-7]; FCR-4 Item Version [FCR-4]; FCR-6 Item Version [FCR-6]) in Turkish hematological cancer patients. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 239 hematological cancer patients undergoing treatment at four different state hospitals in Türkiye. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis results showed that all three scales had a single-factor structure (FCR-7: CFI = 0.981, TLI = 0.969, RMSEA = 0.071, SRMR = 0.028; FCR-4: CFI = 1.000, TLI = 1.001, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.004; FCR-6: CFI = 0.981, TLI = 0.965, RMSEA = 0.087, SRMR = 0.028). The model allowing for correlated error terms between the first and second items provided the best fit. Research findings also indicated that the scales possessed strict measurement invariance across gender. Convergent and discriminant validity analyses also demonstrated expected associations between FCR scale scores and psychological well-being (r = -0.25 to -0.34) and psychological distress (r = 0.33 to 0.46) variables. The known-groups validity analysis indicated that the scales were effective at differentiating between groups and that they replicated the well-established finding from previous research that women report significantly higher levels of FCR than men (d = 0.42-0.47). Reliability analyses indicated that all three versions of the FCR scales had high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.91-0.93) and strong test-retest reliability (r = 0.85-0.87). Conclusions: Overall, the findings indicated that FCR-7, FCR-4, and FCR-6 are psychometrically sound, valid, and reliable instruments for assessing FCR in Turkish hematological cancer patients. These instruments can be used in clinical practice and research studies, as well as for evaluating intervention effectiveness in this population.