Initial Validation of the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale in Chinese Immigrants With Cancer Pain.

Evaluating religious/spiritual influences in the growing Chinese-American population may inform the development of culturally relevant palliative care interventions. We assessed the psychometric properties and acceptability of the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale-Chinese (DSES-C) in Chinese Americans with cancer-related pain. The translated 16-item DSES-C was administered as part of a symptom intervention for Chinese-American cancer patients. Patients were recruited from four New York community oncology practices. Of 321 patients, 78.7% were born in Mainland China, 79.1% spoke Cantonese, and 70.2% endorsed a religious affiliation (Ancestor worship, 31.7%; Chinese God worship, 29.8%; Buddhism, 17.1%; Christianity, 14.0%). In total, 82.6% completed the DSES-C (mean age = 57.7 years; 60.8% women) and 17.4% declined (mean age = 59.3 years; 52.0% women). Reasons for declining included low religiosity or perceived relevance of the scale items and difficulties separating spirituality from religiosity terms. Individuals having a religious affiliation were more likely to complete the DSES-C, whereas those not engaging in individual spiritual/religious practices or frequent group spiritual/religious practices tended to decline (all P < 0.05). The DSES-C (mean total score = 43.6, SD = 19.3) demonstrated high reliability (alpha = 0.94). Exploratory factor analysis suggested a one-factor solution, with significant loadings (>0.40) across items except Item 14 ("Accept others"). Construct validity was suggested by a positive association between DSES-C scores and having a religious affiliation (P < 0.05). In Chinese Americans with cancer pain, the DSES-C demonstrated acceptable psychometrics. Some participants experienced linguistic or cultural barriers preventing completion. Future investigations should provide additional validation in different Asian subgroups and those with varied medical conditions. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. All rights reserved.

Citation

Graciete Lo, Jack Chen, Thomas Wasser, Russell Portenoy, Lara Dhingra. Initial Validation of the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale in Chinese Immigrants With Cancer Pain. Journal of pain and symptom management. 2016 Feb;51(2):284-91

PMID: 26476391

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