title: Assessing cancer symptoms in adolescents with cancer using the Taiwanese version of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Taiwanese version of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-T) in Taiwanese adolescent cancer patients. One hundred eight adolescent cancer patients were interviewed using the MDASI-T, and the results were then used to establish the psychometric properties of this instrument. Data were analyzed by factor analysis, cluster analysis, Pearson correlation, Mann-Whitney U test, and descriptive statistics. The construct validity was determined using a confirmatory factor analysis with oblimin rotation. The concurrent validity demonstrated moderate correlations between the MADSI-T subscale scores and the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Known-group validity was established by comparing MDASI-T scores between adolescent cancer patients with a low functional status and those with a high functional status (Karnofsky Performance Status scores <or= 80 and >80, respectively). The alpha coefficient of the symptoms severity and interference subscales demonstrated good internal consistency. There was acceptable test-retest stability of the MDASI-T in 35 adolescents during a 3-day interval. This study provides evidence that the MDASI-T is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring cancer-related symptoms in Taiwanese adolescents with cancer.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsui-Hwa
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Cleeland
authors.forename: Xin Shelley
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chia-Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan