Propiedades psicométricas de la escala de desmoralización (Ds-ii versión español-colombia) para pacientes oncológicos que reciben cuidado paliativo

Demoralization is a frequent psychiatric syndrome in cancer patients in palliative care, so its measurement is relevant in the field of Psycho-oncology. The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Demoralization-Scale II (ds-II) applied in Colombia to 516 adult patients with cancer in advanced stages. Transcultural adaptation of the ds-II was performed, and its psychometric properties were determined from the classical theories of measurement and Item Response Theory (Rasch analysis). Content validity, internal consistency, criterion validity, and reliability were analyzed. The exploratory factor analysis showed three domains backed by confirmatory factor analysis that also showed an acceptable adjustment of the ds-II. The results indicated that the ds-II (Spanish-Colombia version) is reliable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87 and lambda de Gutman = 0.88) and useful for identifying intermediate levels of demoralization without one of the items. Other results related are also discussed (test-retest reliability and sensitivity, and its potential use in the studied population).