The Turkish Validity and Reliability Study of Female Self-Advocacy in Cancer Survivorship Scale

Aim: It is important to provide the necessary intervention and support to improve the health and quality of life of women with cancer during the fight against cancer. In this regard, first of all, women with low self-advocacy levels in the fight against cancer should be determined. This study aimed to evaluate the Turkish validity and reliability of the Female Self-Advocacy in Cancer Survivorship (FSACS) Scale, which can be used for this purpose.Methods: This methodological study was conducted in medical and gynecologic oncology clinics between December 1, 2023 and June 1, 2024. The study included 200 women diagnosed with invasive cancer. The data were collected using the individual information form, the FSACS Scale, the Cancer Empowerment Scale (CES) and the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) Scale. Scale validity was assessed by language, content, construct, criterion and known group validity methods; scale reliability was evaluated by calculating Cronbach's alpha and McDonald’s omega values. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using frequency analysis, and scale validity and reliability were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), correlation analysis, and mean comparison tests.Results: The scale's Content Validity Index was 0,78 and content validity was confirmed. According to the CFA results, the scale was categorized under three factors (Being an informed decision maker, Connected strength, and Communicating with my health care providers), and all items had significant factor loadings. The model was validated according to the fit indexes. The Cronbach's alpha and McDonald’s omega values were 0,89 and 0,92, respectively. The scale was high reliable. The corrected item-total correlations of the items were high. Coefficients indicating strong and significant correlations between the FSACS Scale, the CES, the MAC and their subscales provided evidence of criterion validity. The scale successfully determined differences in self-advocacy skills between those with high-low levels of education, with-without metastases, and with-without women gender-specific cancer type.Conclusion: The Turkish version of the FSACS Scale is a valid and reliable measurement that can be used to assess the self-advocacy of Turkish women with cancer.