The Persian version of Fear of Progression Questionnaire's Short Form (FOPQ- SF): psychometric features among cancer patients

Abstract Introduction: Fear of progression (FOP) is a significant psychological concern among cancer patients. Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FOPQ-SF) is one of the significant and reliable tools to evaluate FOP. This study aims to validate the psychometric features of the Persian version of FOPQ-SF in Iranian cancer patients. Methods The translation of the FOPQ-SF was developed using a "forward-backward" approach. This cross-sectional study included 120 cancer patients who completed the questionnaires. The validity and reliability of the FOPQ-SF were evaluated, and the factor structure was examined using both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Results The FOPQ-SF demonstrated high test-retest and internal reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.84. EFA revealed a one-factor structure consisting of 12 items. The FOPQ-SF exhibited high convergent validity, as indicated by significant correlations with anxiety, depression, the total score of HADS, and symptoms. It also demonstrated moderate divergent validity, with negative correlations observed with function and global health. Furthermore, FOP significantly differed among pre-defined groups based on cancer stage. Discussion The results indicate that the Persian version of the FOPQ-SF is a reliable and valid questionnaire for assessing FOP in 20–60 Iranian cancer patients aged.