Stigma Resistance Scale: A Psychometric Study in a Turkish Mental Illness Sample

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Stigma Resistance Scale in patients with psychiatric disorders. This methodological study included 190 patients diagnosed with various psychiatric disorders in a psychiatry outpatient clinic of two hospitals in Turkey. The data were analyzed using SPSS and LISREL software. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses, Cronbach's alpha coefficients, and test-retest methods were used to determine the validity and reliability of the scale. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.89 for the entire scale and ranged between 0.72 and 0.82 for the five subscales; the item-total point correlations were between 0.43 and 0.63; and the correlation value of the test-retest was 0.78. The results of the explanatory factor analysis revealed that a five-factor structure, with factor loadings in the range of 0.44 to 0.70, explained 60.11% of the total variance. According to the results, acceptable adaptation values were computed (χ 2 /SD = 1.840, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.06, standardized root-mean-square residuals = 0.070, comparative fit index = 0.96). In light of the findings, it was concluded that the Turkish version of the Stigma Resistance Scale could be used as a reliable and valid tool in assessing stigma resistance of Turkish psychiatric patients. Health care professionals may use this instrument in clinical practice to identify patients with mental illness who are experiencing stigma. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2023;53(7):333–339.]