title: Psychometric properties of the RCMAS-2 in pediatric cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, second edition (RCMAS-2) is widely used internationally to assess anxiety. However, there is little data regarding its validity for pediatric cancer patients. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the RCMAS-2 in pediatric cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study included 370 pediatric cancer patients (aged 6-19 years) that were recruited from three medical centers between August 2008 and March 2011 in Taiwan. Reliability was evaluated by internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine the factor structure. Construct validity was examined by known-groups analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The internal consistency of the full scale was good (α = 0.90) but the scores of Physiological Anxiety subscale was low (α = 0.65). Using known-groups validity, significant differences in anxiety were observed between genders and between patients that were on and off treatment. The hypothesized three-factor model did not adequately fit (χ(2)/d.f = 2.4; p < 0.01, GFI = 0.80, CFI = 0.71, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RCMAS-2 demonstrated reliability and validity for use with pediatric cancer patients aged 6 and 19 years. Further structure evaluation of the RCMAS-2 in pediatric oncology population is needed, and the scores of the Physiological Anxiety subscale should be interpreted with caution.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, No.100, Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung, PO Box 807, Taiwan. Electronic address: painting@kmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Li-Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, No.100, Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung, PO Box 807, Taiwan. Electronic address: gn94yliu@kmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsing-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, No.100, Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung, PO Box 807, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hui-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, No.100, Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung, PO Box 807, Taiwan. Electronic address: weitingl@cc.kmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Wei-Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; Anxiety; Children; Pediatric cancer; Psychometrics