Psychometric Properties of an Arabic Version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS)

Objective: To translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of an Arabic-language version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). Method: The items were translated, back translated, refined, and tested in an Australian immigrant sample ( N = 220). Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Arabic DASS discriminates between depression, anxiety, and stress but to a lesser degree than the English DASS. The factor loadings for all 42 items were comparable to those of the English DASS, indicating that the items had been appropriately translated and adapted. Analysis of exploratory items suggested by Arabic-speaking mental health professionals failed to reveal any new items that were both psychometrically adequate and theoretically coherent. Analysis of a bilingual sample ( N = 24) indicated that the English norms was appropriate for the Arabic DASS. Conclusion: The results support the universality of depression, anxiety, and stress across cultures and provide initial support for the psychometric properties of the Arabic DASS.

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Confirmatory factor analysis of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) in a large and representative Swedish sample: is the use of the total scale and subscale scores justified?

BMC Medical Research Methodology ◽

10.1186/s12874-020-01126-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anna Helena Elisabeth Santesson ◽

Martin Bäckström ◽

Robert Holmberg ◽

Sean Perrin ◽

Håkan Jarbin

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Factor Structure ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Attitude Scale ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Swedish Version ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Swedish Sample

Abstract Background There is a call for valid and reliable instruments to evaluate implementation of evidence-based practices (EBP). The 15-item Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) measures attitude toward EBP, incorporating four lower-order factor subscales (Appeal, Requirements, Openness, and Divergence) and a Total scale (General Attitudes). It is one of a few measures of EBP attitudes evaluated for its psychometric properties. The reliability of the Total scale has been repeatedly supported, but also the multidimensionality of the inventory. However, whether all of the items contribute to the EBPAS Total beyond their subscales has yet to be demonstrated. In addition, the Divergence subscale has been questioned because of its low correlation with the other subscales and low inter-item correlations. The EBPAS is widely used to tailor and evaluate implementation efforts, but a Swedish version has not yet been validated. This study aimed to contribute to the development and cross-validation of the EBPAS by examining the factor structure of t a Swedish-language version in a large sample of mental health professionals. Methods The EBPAS was translated into Swedish and completed by 570 mental health professionals working in child and adolescent psychiatry settings spread across Sweden. The factor structure was examined using first-order, second-order and bifactor confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models. Results Results suggested adequate fit for all CFA models. The EBPAS Total was strongly supported in the Swedish version. Support for the hierarchical second-order model was also strong, while the bifactor model gave mixed support for the subscales. The Openness and Requirements subscales came out best, while there were problems with both the Appeal (e.g. not different from the General Attitudes factor) and the Divergence subscales (e.g. low reliability). Conclusions Overall, the psychometric properties were on par with the English version and the total score appears to be a valid measure of general attitudes towards EBP. This is the first study supporting this General Attitudes factor based on a bifactor model. Although comparatively better supported in this Swedish sample, we conclude that the use of the EBPAS subscale scores may result in misleading conclusions. Practical implications and future directions are discussed.

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Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Mental Health Professionals Stress Scale

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.685423 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Eun Sol Lee ◽

Vin Ryu ◽

Ji Hyun Lee ◽

Hyeon Hong ◽

Hyeree Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Social Workers ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Concurrent Validity ◽

Online Survey ◽

Factor Model ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Stress Scale

Background: Job stress of mental health professionals can have a negative impact on them, particularly their psychological health and mortality, and may also affect organizations' and institutions' ability to provide quality mental health services to patients.Aim: This study aimed to: (1) investigate the validity and reliability of the Korean Mental Health Professionals Stress Scale (K-MHPSS), (2) develop K-MHPSS cut-off points to measure clinical depression and anxiety, and (3) examine whether specific stressors vary by area of expertise.Methodology: Data were collected via an online survey over 3 months, from August to October 2020. An online survey using a survey website was administered to volunteers who accessed the link and consented to participate. Data from 558 participants (200 clinical psychologists, 157 nurses, and 201 social workers) were included in the final analysis. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were conducted to examine the factor structure of the K-MHPSS; concurrent validity of the scale was determined by analyzing correlation; internal consistency was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. In addition, ROC curve analysis and Youden's index were used to estimate optimal cut-off points for K-MHPSS; one-way ANOVA was performed to investigate the difference among the three groups.Results: The seven-factor model of the original scale did not be replicated by Korean mental health professionals. The K-MHPSS had the best fit with the six-factor model, which consists of 34 items. Concurrent validity was confirmed, and overall reliability was found to be good. The K-MHPSS cut-off points for depression and anxiety appeared to slightly different by professional groups. Furthermore, nurses and social workers showed significantly higher total scores compared to clinical psychologists, and there are significant differences in subscale scores among professionals.Conclusion: The Korean version of the MHPSS has appropriate psychometric properties and can be used to assess the occupational stress of mental health professionals. It can also serve as a reference point for screening clinical level of depression and anxiety in mental health professionals.

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Sudanese Students’ Perceptions of Their Class Activities: Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance of My Class Activities–Arabic Language Version

Journal of Advanced Academics ◽

10.1177/1932202x17701881 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 141-159

Author(s):

Nielsen Pereira ◽

Salaheldin Farah Bakhiet ◽

Marcia Gentry ◽

Tahani Abdulrahman Balhmar ◽

Sultan Mohammed Hakami

Keyword(s):

Psychometric Properties ◽

Measurement Invariance ◽

Arabic Language ◽

Model Fit ◽

School Students ◽

Language Version ◽

Consistency Results ◽

Improve Model ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Elementary And Middle School

This study examined the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Arabic version of My Class Activities (MCA), an instrument designed to measure students’ perceptions of interest, challenge, choice, and enjoyment in classrooms. Scores of 3,516 Sudanese students in Grades 2 to 8 were used. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the factor structure of MCA. Multigroup CFA was used to examine measurement invariance across students in gifted and regular schools (nongifted). Four items were deleted to improve model fit and internal consistency. Results indicated noninvariant indicator intercepts across gifted and nongifted students, suggesting that MCA-Arabic can be used with elementary and middle school students; however, it should not be used to compare gifted and nongifted students.

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