Objective: To verify the subscale structure of the BRECON-31 using a test sample of women naïve to the questionnaire.
Methods: The BRECON-31 was administered to women following breast reconstruction. Their responses were subjected to principal components analysis (PCA) with a varimax rotation. Components were maintained with an Eigenvalue greater than one. Internal consistency reliability was measured with Cronbach's Alpha (CA). Components on the test pool analysis were then compared with the subscales developed on 128 women who completed the questionnaire during the development phase.
Results: Fifty women completed the BRECON-31. Development and test pools of women were similar across demographics, pathology, and surgical details, except the development sample was somewhat older (53 yo vs. 49 yo, P = 0.02). Using PCA, eight subscales again emerged: self-image, arm concerns, intimacy, satisfaction, recovery, self-consciousness, expectations, and breast appearance. A nipple, and abdominal strength and appearance subscales also emerged. Forty-one of the 45 items loaded similarly in the development and test pools. Internal consistency reliability was high, with CA in the test pool equaling or exceeding CA in the development pool in the majority of the subscales.
Conclusions: The BRECON-31 factor structure identified in the development pool was supported by the test pool, with similar reliability.
Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.