The Validity-Reliability Study of Turkish Version of Electronical Symptom Screening Tool (8-18) in SSPedi-Pediatric Patients with Cancer

Abstract

Objective: The first step in symptom management is symptom screening which is necessary to keep the symptom under control. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Electronic Symptom Screening Tool in Pediatrics for children aged 8-18 (SSPedi 8-18) with cancer. Methods: The research was conducted between September 2020 and June 2021. The sample in our study consists of 80 children (8-18 years) with cancer. For content validity, the scale was first translated into Turkish and then adapted using Davis’ correspondence analysis technique. The construct validity of the scale was assessed using the Barlett test and Kaiser-Mayer Olkin. For the scale’s reliability, Cronbach Alpha Reliability Coefficient, Equivalent Forms Method, bisection method and Item Total Score Correlation Coefficient correlation tests were analyzed. Before starting the study, ethics committee approval and written permits from institutions and individuals were obtained. Results: The content validity index was found between 0.93 and 1. The reliability of the scale of the equivalent form method was r:0.57, and bisection method was r:0.85 and the Cronbach internal consistency coefficient of scale=0.86. The correlation coefficient between the items and the total score was greater than r=0.20. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient was 0.82. The χ2 value (Bartlett test) was statistically significant (p= .001). Conclusion: The SSPedi 8-18 is a reliable and valid tool that can be used to assess the symptoms of Turkish children with cancer. Nurses’ use of the scale while providing nursing care to children diagnosed with cancer and their families will guide them in objectively determining symptoms, understanding the relationship between symptoms, and managing symptoms.