Psychometric Properties of Caregiver Contribution and Self‐Efficacy Scales in Cancer

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to validate the Caregiver Contribution to Self‐Care of Chronic Illness Inventory (CC‐SC‐CII) and the Caregiver Self‐Efficacy in Contributing to Patient Self‐Care Scale (CSE‐CSC) in caregivers of patients with cancer. A multicenter, cross‐sectional validation study was conducted involving a convenience sample of caregivers recruited from five Italian oncology centers. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess structural validity, internal consistency was evaluated using factor score determinacy and McDonald's Omega, and construct validity was examined through correlations between caregiver and patient self‐care scores. Test–retest reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. A total of 412 caregivers were included. CFA supported the three‐factor structure of the CC‐SC‐CII and the bidimensional structure of the CSE‐CSC, with adequate fit indices for all scales. Internal consistency was excellent across subscales. Construct validity was supported by positive associations between caregiver self‐efficacy and caregiver contribution dimensions, while inverse associations emerged with patient self‐care in selected domains. This study contributes to the limited evidence on caregiver support to self‐care in cancer, offering validated tools to guide clinical assessment and research on this topic.