Translation and validation of the Korean version of the Fertility Intention Scale in breast cancer survivors

Fertility intention among breast cancer survivors of childbearing age is influenced by clinical, personal, and social considerations. Therefore, multidimensional assessment is essential across treatment and survivorship. Although the Fertility Intention Scale (FIS) assesses fertility intention in women with breast cancer, no validated Korean version is currently available. This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the FIS into Korean and evaluate its validity and reliability.

This validation study was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved translation and cultural adaptation of the FIS, including forward translation, expert panel review, back-translation, pre-testing, cognitive interviews, and linguistic refinement. The second phase evaluated psychometric properties using secondary data from 203 women aged 18-45 years with breast cancer. Construct validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), known-group validity, and convergent validity. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's α and a 2-week test-retest analysis.

The CFA indicated an overall acceptable, though marginal, model fit. Known-group validity was confirmed, as women planning pregnancy scored significantly higher on the Korean FIS (K-FIS) than those not planning pregnancy (t = 6.09, P < 0.001). Convergent validity was partially supported by a significant correlation between the K-FIS "social support" factor and perceived social support (r = 0.31, P < 0.001). Cronbach's α for the total scale was 0.93, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.798.

The K-FIS showed generally acceptable preliminary evidence of reliability and validity for assessing fertility intention among Korean women with breast cancer. It may support tailored fertility interventions and counseling in oncology nursing practice.