Validation of functional assessment of chronic illness therapy - spiritual well-being scale (FACIT-Sp-12) in Serbian oncology patients

The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Well-Being scale (FACIT-Sp-12) is a 12-item questionnaire designed to assess spiritual well-being in individuals diagnosed with cancer and other chronic illnesses. The main goals of the present study were twofold: (1) to examine the factor structure of the FACIT-Sp-12 in a Serbian sample of oncology patients, (2) to investigate the external validity of FACIT-Sp-12 by examining the relationship with positive and negative affect (The Scale for Positive and Negative Experiences; SPANE), and depression, anxiety, and stress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; DASS-21). A sample consisted of 215 female oncology patients, with a mean age of 50.41 years (age range: 24-81 years). The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. The results supported the FACIT-Sp-12 modified three-factor structure and its subscales achieved statistically significant correlations with external measures. The meaning and peace subscales achieved somewhat stronger correlations with all the external variables compared to the faith subscale. This study demonstrates that the FACIT-Sp-12 is a valid and reliable three-factor measure of spiritual well-being in a sample of female cancer patients in Serbia.