Abstract / Summary
Abstract The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE) in cancer patients from Southern Peru. The sample comprised 445 individuals diagnosed with cancer who were receiving care at a specialized public hospital. Participants were predominantly women (78.2%), with a mean age of 52.20 years. The instrument's internal structure was evaluated using CFA and ESEM, whilst measurement invariance was also assessed across age, educational level, cancer stage, and type. In addition, evidence of convergent and discriminant validity was examined. The results supported a two-factor structure consisting of Positive Religious Coping and Negative Religious Coping. The CFA model demonstrated excellent fit indices (CFI = .983; TLI = .980; RMSEA = .039, 90% CI [.027, .051]; SRMR = .048). Likewise, the ESEM model showed acceptable model fit (CFI = .971; TLI = .958; RMSEA = .056, 90% CI [.045, .068]; SRMR = .039). Regarding validity evidence based on relationships with other variables, Positive Religious Coping was negatively associated with negative affect, whereas Negative Religious Coping was positively associated with negative affect. No significant associations were found with life satisfaction or positive affect. Measurement invariance was established across all groups examined, and both subscales demonstrated high reliability as indicated by alpha and omega coefficients. In conclusion, the Brief RCOPE demonstrated adequate evidence of validity, reliability, and measurement invariance, supporting its use in cancer patients from Southern Peru.