Psychometric properties of the mammography self-efficacy and fear of breast cancer scales in Iranian women

Abstract

Background: Research investigating mammography screening has often reported low mammography self-efficacy and breast cancer fear contribute to underutilization of mammography. This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of Champion's Mammography Self-efficacy Scale (CMSS) and Champion's Breast Cancer Fear Scale (CBCFS) in a sample of Iranian women.

Methods: The adapted instruments were administered to a community sample of 482 women aged 40 years or older. They inhibited in Sanandaj, Iran. Cronbach's α coefficients, item-total, and test-retest correlations were used to assess the reliability of the scales. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to assess construct validity.

Results: The α coefficients for the Farsi 14-item CMSS and 8-item BCFS were .87 and.95, respectively. In terms of the CMSS confirmatory factor analysis, the proportion of x ²/df was 2.4, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.93, Tucker Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.96 providing a strong fit to the data induced by two-factor model. With regard to CBCFS, x ²/df was 86.33, CFI =0.99, and TLI =0.99 supporting one-factor model.

Conclusion: The CMSS and CBCFS exhibited strong initial psychometric properties; therefore, they are recommended to understand women's breast cancer screening behaviors better.

Keywords: Breast cancer fear; Iranian women; Mammography; Psychometric properties; Self-efficacy.

Fig. 1

Standardized solution for the revised model based on confirmatory factor analysis for mammography self-efficacy. Numbers in circles in rectangles indicate measurement errors. Note: the SE 4 not entered into confirmatory factor analysis because of not meeting the factor-loading criterion

Fig. 2

Standardized solution for the revised model based on confirmatory factor analysis of fear of breast cancer scale. Numbers in circles in rectangles indicate measurement errors