• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4235-4240
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• 2012

Objectives: Family caregivers (FCs) are often the primary source of social and emotional support for cancer patients and play a major role in how well they manage their illness. The aim of this study was to create an Turkish version of the Quality of Life - Family Version (QOL-FV) and to evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of FCs of cancer patients. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out with the FCs of 218 patients with cancer. Data were collected with a Demographic Questionnaire and the QOL-FV and The Multidimentional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The QOL-FV was developed by Ferrell and Grant and is composed of 4 subdimensions. Linguistic validity, translation, back translation, and content validity were tested with expert opinions. Test-retest reliability, and internal consistency reliability were assessed. Construct validity was tested by factor analysis and with the scale of the MSPSS. Results: The family caregivers were between the ages of 46-56 (32.6%), a great number of them being male (52.8%). The scale is made up of four subdimensions. The result of the test-retest analysis of this scale was calculated as r:0.86. As a result of the reliability analysis, six items were eliminated from the scale, factor analyses were fulfilled according to varimax transformation through the method of principal components. Four new subdimensions were restrustured at the end of the analysis. The scale of Cronbach ${\alpha}$ coefficient was calculated as 0.90. Concurrent validity showed low correlations with the MSPSS (r=0.29). Conclusions: The QOL-FV, adapted into Turkish, was found to have sufficient reliability and validity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4415-4419
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• 2013

Background: Measuring effects of cancer on family caregivers is important to develop methods which can improve their quality of life (QOL). Nevertheless, up to now, only a few tools have been developed to be used in this group. Among those, the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer Scale (CQOLC) has met minimum psychometric criteria in different populations in spite of conflicting results. The present study was conducted to evaluate reliability and validity of CQOLC among Turkish cancer family caregivers. Materials and Methods: The CQOLC was administered to 120 caregivers, along with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Medical Outcomes Study MOS 36- Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Internal consistency and test-retest stability were used to investigate reliability. Construct validity was examined by using known group method, convergent, and divergent validity. For the known group method, we hypothesized that CQOLC scores would differ between depressed and non-depressed subjects. We investigated convergent validity by correlating scores for CQOLC with scores for other similar measures including SF-36 and STAI. The MSPSS was completed at the same time as CQOLC to provide divergent validity. Results: The values for internal consistency and test-retest correlation were 0.88 and 0.96, respectively. The CQOLC discriminated those who were depressed from those who were not. Convergent validity supported strong correlations between CQOLC scores and two main component scores (PCS, MCS) in SF-36 although there was a weak correlation between CQOLC and STAI scores. Regarding divergent validity, the correlation between CQOLC and MSPSS was in the low range, as expected. Conclusions: The Turkish CQOLC is a reliable and valid tool and it can be utilized to determine QOL of family caregivers.