Measurement of Spiritual Wellbeing in an Australian Hospital Population Using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy: Spiritual Wellbeing Scale (FACIT-Sp-12)

Overview

Journal J Relig Health

Publisher Springer

Specialties General Medicine
Psychology
Social Sciences

Date 2024 Jun 13

PMID 38869732

Authors

Megan C Best

Grahame Simpson

Kate F Jones

Frankie Merritt

Michael Casey

Sandra Lynch

John A Eisman

Jeffrey Cohen

Darryl Mackie

Kirsty Beilharz

Matthew Kearney

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Spiritual wellbeing is known to be a predictor of increased patient coping in hospital settings. Therefore, access to a valid and reliable measure of spiritual wellbeing amongst general hospital patients is highly recommended. The aim of this study was to investigate the dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Spiritual Wellbeing scale (FACIT-Sp-12) in a heterogeneous cohort of hospital patients. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 897 adult patients across six hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Confirmatory factor analysis for the three-factor FACIT-12-Sp indicated a poor fit, but after removal of Item 12, the three-factor FACIT-11-Sp presented a good fit to the data. Reliability testing indicated acceptable to good internal consistency. Validity was supported by statistically significant differences between patients who considered themselves 'both spiritual and religious' and 'not religious or spiritual'. While some caution should be taken when using the FACIT-Sp due to several limitations, nevertheless, in a general hospital population in Australia, the three-factor FACIT-11-Sp indicated good dimensionality, reliability, and validity.

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