VALIDATION OF A PSYCHOMETRIC SCALE TO ASSESS SOURCE AND SEVERITY OF STRESS (S3S) AMONG THE UNDERGRADUATE INDIAN STUDENTS IN MEDICAL EDUCATION
METHODS: A questionnaire was developed with 40 questions, included in 10 stressor domains based on Arbitrary Approach. The content validation of questionnaire based on Consensus approach, was done by a panel of experts. Pre-testing among 32 medical students was carried out, and the final tool (S3S) was designed with 51 questions in 10 domains. Another group of 32 students were randomly selected and administered with the new indigenously developed tool along with a standardized Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ)-Malaysia & Comprehensive Quality of Life-Adult, for the Criterion Validity and Construct Validity.
RESULTS: Factor Analysis and Confirmatory factor analysis assessed the Inter-correlations and goodness of fit for each of the domain. S3S showed very high internal consistency (Chronbach’s alpha = 0.95, P< 0.001). Criterion validity was established at r=0.84, P<0.001) inter-domain correlation for construct validity showed alpha values greater than 0.7, inter-domain correlation for content validity ranged between 0.36 to 0.68, P<0.05. The Spearman-Brown prophecy coefficient for unequal length to estimate full test reliability based on split-half reliability measures was 0.847 (high). Cronbach’s alpha for each part was also very high (0.93 & 0.934). Severity of Stress could be explained based on percentiles.
CONCLUSIONS: The S3Scale is a psychometrically validated tool with very high internal consistency, criterion validity and inter-domain construct validity. We propose this questionaire can be effectively used to assess the stress in Indian medical students.