Selecting the optimal version of the post-traumatic growth inventory - short form for cancer survivors: a study using...

INTRODUCTION: Previous efforts to validate the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory – Short Form (PTGI-SF) within the French context and among cancer survivors have yielded inconclusive results. This study aimed to select the optimal French version of the PTGI-SF between two candidate versions of the questionnaire (i.e., the American and the Italian). METHODS: Sequential design was implemented, combining psychometric analyses—including confirmatory factor analysis, composite reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity—on a large sample of French cancer survivors (i.e., the VICAN5 survey), with an expert consensus process using the Technique for Research of Information by Animation of a Group of Experts (TRIAGE), which involved individual consultation followed by collective deliberation. RESULTS: The psychometric analysis, conducted on a sample of 3,823 cancer survivors, demonstrated that the two candidate versions of the PTGI-SF exhibit equivalent psychometric properties. Following a comprehensive review of the questionnaires, experts unanimously concluded that the American version was the most suitable for the French context (SB-RMSEA = 0.074; SB-CF = 0.953; SB-TLI = 0.915; SRMR = 0.035; RRC from 0.594 to 0.695). This preference was based on its superior questionnaire structure, enhanced item readability in relation to the assessed dimensions, and better alignment with the language and experiences of cancer survivors as observed in clinical practice and real-world experience. CONCLUSION: The selected PTGI-SF version reflects a careful balance between statistical rigor and practical applicability in clinical settings and holds promise for improving the identification of post-traumatic growth in clinical settings.