[Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale (SASS)]

SASS is a new self-evaluation scale that assesses the level of social functioning in depressed patients for clinical research purposes. The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of SASS.

Data were obtained from 2 different sample groups that had no physical disturbances that could impair social functioning; healthy participants between the ages of 18 and 65 years (n = 66) and patients (n = 227) diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). Assessment tools used in the study were SASS, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, 17-item version, and Global Assessment of Functioning Scale.

In the reliability analysis of both groups combined and the MDD group Cronbach's alpha values for the internal consistency of the scale were 0.90 and 0.87, respectively. Item-total score correlations were between 0.22 and 0.66 for both groups combined, and between 0.21 and 0.59 for the MDD group. The correlation coefficient of the scale's test-retest reliability was 0.770 (P < 0.0001) and the SASS value rose from 29.4 +/- 8.1 to 37.8 +/- 8.1 following treatment of depression (P < 0.0001). Four factors with Eigen values > 1 were obtained from the factor analysis. Factor 1, with an Eigen value of 7.169 explained 35.8% of the total variance and represented the entire scale alone.

The Turkish version of SASS, as the original scale, demonstrated adequate validity and reliability for the measurement of loss of social functioning in MDD patients and demonstrated that scores changed in accordance with treatment for depression.