Content Validity and Reliability Testing of the FIN-PED II: A Tool to Measure Care Needs of Parents of Children With Cancer

This study tested the reliability and validity of the refined Family Inventory of Needs-Pediatrics (FIN-PED), the FIN-PED II, a 17-item instrument structured to measure care needs of parents of children with cancer. The instrument comprises three rating scales. The first rating scale measures the importance-of-care needs, the second measures the extent to which needs are met, and the third measures the need for further information. The revised instrument was first pilot tested with an expert panel of three mothers and three fathers of children with cancer who rated the tool for clarity, apparent internal consistency, and content validity. All items met preset criteria for these assessments. The instrument was then mailed to 85 parents of Australian children with cancer and tested for internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability. Thirty-four parents returned the instrument. All three rating scales achieved high estimates of internal consistency. Evidence of the instrument's stability over time was also achieved. This study provided support for the reliability and content validity of the FIN-PED II.