title: Factor structure of the brief symptom inventory--18 in adult survivors of childhood cancer: results from the childhood cancer survivor study.
abstract: The factor structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory--18 (BSI-18; L. R. Derogatis, 2000) was investigated in a sample of adult survivors of childhood cancer enrolled in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS; N = 8,945). An exploratory factor analysis with a randomly chosen subsample supported a 3-factor structure closely corresponding to the 3 BSI-18 subscales: Depression, Anxiety, and Somatization. Confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling validated this 3-dimensional structure in a separate subsample, though an alternative 4-factor model also fit the data. Analysis of the 3-factor model showed consistent fit in male and female participants. Compared with available community-based norms, survivors reported fewer symptoms of psychological distress. Together, results support the hypothesized 3-dimensional structure of the BSI-18 and indicate the measure may be useful in assessing psychological distress in this growing population of cancer survivors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Perini Family Survivor's Center, The Dana- Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115-6084, USA. christopher_recklitis@dfci.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Recklitis
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Mei-Chiung
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.forename: Leslie L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Robison
authors.forename: Lonnie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zeltzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*