A Scale Proposal for COVID-19-related Social Stigmatization: The Psychometric Properties of the COVID-19 Stigmatization Scale

Öz

Background: Social stigmatization is one of the most important results of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the present study is to develop a measurement tool for assessing COVID-19-related stigma. Materials and Methods: The sample of the study consisted of 324 participants who were formerly diagnosed with COVID-19. Measurement regarding the validity of the COVID-19 Stigmatization Scale was evaluated with exploratory analysis. Results: Females accounted for 50.3% (n = 163) of the participants, and the mean age of the participants was 35.35  11.23 . The internal consistency coefficient of the scale was 0.95. The internal consistency coefficients of the subscales were .92 for “anticipatory anxiety”, .90 for “external stigmatization,” .89 for “negative self-image,” .84 for “contagion anxiety,” .90 for “disclosure anxiety,” and .87 for “internal stigmatization.” The total variance explained by the scale was 61.96%. Conclusions: The findings indicated that the COVID-19 Stigmatization Scale, consisting of 44 items in six subscales, is a valid measurement tool for COVID-19 related social stigma.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• COVID-19
• pandemic
• stigma
• scale development

COVID-19 İle İlgili Sosyal Damgalama İçin Bir Ölçek Önerisi: COVID-19 Damgalama Ölçeğinin Psikometrik Özellikleri

Öz

Amaç: COVID-19 pandemisinin önemli sonuçlarından biri sosyal damgalanmadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, COVID-19 ile ilişkili damgalanmayı değerlendirmek için bir ölçüm aracı geliştirmektir. Materyal ve Metod: Araştırmanın örneklemini, daha önce COVID-19 tanısı almış 324 katılımcı oluşturdu. COVID-19 Damgalama Ölçeği'nin geçerliliğine ilişkin ölçümler, açımlayıcı faktör analizi ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Katılımcıların %50,3'ünü (n=163) kadınlar oluşturdu ve katılımcıların yaş ortalaması 35,35±11,23 idi. Ölçeğin iç tutarlılık katsayısı 0.95 idi. Alt ölçeklerin iç tutarlılık katsayıları “beklenti kaygısı” için .92, “dışsal damgalanma” için .90, “olumsuz benlik imajı” için .89, “bulaş kaygısı” için .84, “ortaya çıkma kaygısı” için .90 ve “içsel damgalama” için .87 saptandı. Ölçeğin açıkladığı toplam varyans %61.96 idi. Sonuç: Bulgularımız, altı alt ölçekli 44 maddeden oluşan COVID-19 Damgalama Ölçeği'nin COVID-19 ile ilgili sosyal damgalanmayı değerlendirmek için geçerli bir ölçüm aracı olduğunu göstermiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• COVID-19
• pandemi
• damgalanma
• ölçek geliştirme

Kaynakça

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