Translation and psychometric properties for the Demoralization Scale in Chinese breast cancer patients

Abstract

Purpose: To translate and validate the Chinese version of the Demoralization Scale among breast cancer patients.

Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was employed. From September 2016 to May 2017, 203 breast cancer survivors completed the survey. Content, construct, concurrent and divergent validity and internal consistency of the Chinese version of the Demoralization Scale were evaluated.

Results: The proposed factor structures of the Demoralization Scale in previous studies cannot be confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis in the present study. Moreover, four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis, which accounted for 58.66% of the variance. Each subscale yielded satisfactory internal consistency with coefficient alphas ranging from 0.720 to 0.894. Relationships/differences between demoralization, quality of life, despair and depression provide initial support for the concurrent/divergent validity. Given these results, the Chinese version of the Demoralization Scale appears to be both valid and reliable.

Conclusions: Our results preliminary supported that the Chinese version of the Demoralization Scale is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing demoralization among mainland Chinese breast cancer patients, and the factor structure of this measurement needs to be further addressed in future studies.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Demoralization; Depression; Psychological distress; Quality of life.