Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the Fear of Cancer Scale

Abstract

This study assessed the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Fear of Cancer Scale (FOCS) among 285 state university students from December 2022 to February 2023. The validity analysis included language, content, and structural assessments, with structural validity examined through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Reliability was evaluated using item-total correlation, Cronbach's Alpha, and split-half analysis. Results confirmed that the Turkish version maintained the original factor structure, with a two-dimensional model explaining 52.73% of the variance. Factor loadings ranged from 0.455 to 0.757, and confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable model fit. The scale showed excellent internal consistency, with an overall Cronbach's Alpha of 0.920, and sub-dimension values of 0.870 for direct fear and 0.861 for indirect fear. These findings confirm the Turkish version of FOCS as a valid and reliable instrument for measuring cancer fear in non-oncological individuals.