Perceived stress scale: reliability and validity study in Brazil.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychometrics
• Health Sciences

Background:

• The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) is a widely used measure of psychological stress.
• Validating the PSS-10 in diverse populations is crucial for accurate stress assessment.
• Previous research has established the PSS-10's psychometric properties in various international contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Portuguese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) in Brazilian adults.
• To adapt and validate a culturally relevant instrument for measuring perceived stress in Brazil.
• To provide a psychometrically sound tool for researchers and clinicians in Brazil.

Main Methods:

• A two-stage translation procedure was used to develop the Portuguese version of the PSS-10.
• The study involved 793 Brazilian university teachers.
• Exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability were employed to assess validity and reliability.

Main Results:

• Exploratory factor analysis identified two factors explaining 56.8% of the variance.
• Cronbach's alpha coefficients indicated good internal consistency (0.87 for the total score).
• Test-retest reliability was strong (0.86 for the total score), and correlations with perceived health were significant.

Conclusions:

• The Portuguese version of the PSS-10 demonstrates adequate reliability and validity for use with Brazilian adults.
• The findings support the use of the PSS-10 as a valid measure of perceived stress in this population.
• This validated scale can facilitate future research on stress and mental health in Brazil.