Turkish Adaptation of the Family Stigma Stress Scale for Caregivers of Individuals with Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Validity and Reliability Study

Öz

Objective: Family caregivers of individuals with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s often face stigma stress, which adversely affects their mental health. This study aimed to adapt the Family Stigma Stress Scale (FSSS) into Turkish and evaluate its validity and reliability. Materials and Methods: This methodological study recruited 87 family caregivers online between March and August 2025. Sociodemographic data were collected, and the Turkish version of the FSSS was applied following translation, back-translation, expert review, and pilot testing. Construct validity was evaluated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Reliability was tested through Cronbach’s alpha, item–total correlations, test–retest, and split-half methods. Results: The Turkish FSSS preserved the original two-factor and eight-item structure. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit. Reliability analyses, including Cronbach’s alpha, item–total correlations, and test–retest (r=0.92, p≤0.001), demonstrated high internal consistency and stability. Conclusion: The Turkish version of the FSSS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing stigma stress in family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. It can also help identify psychosocial risks, evaluate resilience, and guide community-based interventions to reduce stigma.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Caregivers
• Stress
• Stigma
• Neurodegenerative Diseases

Destekleyen Kurum

There was no funding for this study.

Etik Beyan

Permission for the Turkish adaptation of the FSSS used in the study was obtained via email from the original developers, Prof. Dr. Chung-Ying Lin. Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Yalova University Faculty of Health Sciences (Protocol No: 2025/69, Date: 05.03.2025). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Participants were informed about the purpose and scope of the study, and individuals who approved the online informed consent form were included.

Teşekkür

We would like to thank all the participants.

Nörodejeneratif Hastalığı Olan Bireylerin Bakım Verenlerinde Aile Damgalanma Stresi Ölçeği’nin Türkçe Uyarlaması: Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması

Öz

Amaç: Alzheimer, demans ve Parkinson gibi nörodejeneratif hastalıklara sahip bireylerin aile bakım verenleri, genellikle ruhsal sağlıklarını olumsuz etkileyen damgalanma stresine maruz kalabilmektedir. Bu çalışma, Aile Damgalanma Stresi Ölçeği’nin (FSSS) Türkçe’ye uyarlanmasını ve geçerlik-güvenirliğinin değerlendirilmesini amaçlamıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu metodolojik çalışma, Mart–Ağustos 2025 tarihleri arasında çevrim içi olarak ulaşılan 87 aile bakım vereni ile yürütülmüştür. Sosyodemografik veriler toplanmış, FSSS’nin Türkçe formu çeviri, geri çeviri, uzman görüşü ve pilot uygulama aşamalarından sonra uygulanmıştır. Yapı geçerliği, Doğrulayıcı Faktör Analizi (DFA) ile test edilmiştir. Güvenirlik ise Cronbach alfa, madde–toplam korelasyonları, test–tekrar test ve iki yarım yöntemleri ile değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Türkçe FSSS, orijinaldeki iki faktörlü ve sekiz maddelik yapıyı korumuştur. DFA iyi uyum göstermiştir. Cronbach alfa, madde–toplam korelasyonları ve test–tekrar test (r=0,92, p≤0,001) sonuçları ölçeğin yüksek iç tutarlılık ve kararlılığa sahip olduğunu göstermiştir. Sonuç: FSSS’nin Türkçe formu, Alzheimer, demans ve Parkinson hastalarının aile bakım verenlerinde damgalanma stresini değerlendirmek için geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracıdır. Ölçek, psikososyal risklerin belirlenmesine, bakım verenlerin dayanıklılık ve baş etme stratejilerinin değerlendirilmesine ve damgalanmayla mücadeleye yönelik toplum temelli girişimlerin geliştirilmesine katkı sağlayabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Bakım Verenler
• Psikolojik stres
• Damgalanma
• Nörodejeneratif Hastalıklar

Kaynakça

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