Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of Screening Tool on Distress in Fertility Treatment (SCREENIVF)

Women diagnosed with infertility and receiving infertility treatment reported high levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety and distress. Infertile women should first be screened for psychosocial risks. Psychosocial care interventions should be planned according to their needs. The aim of this methodologically designed study was to test the validity and reliability of the Screening Tool on Distress in Fertility Treatment's (SCREENIVF) Turkish version in infertile women.

The present study included 323 women diagnosed with nulliparous and undergoing fertility treatment. Women filled in the descriptive characteristics questionnaire, The Copenhagen Multi-Centre Psychosocial Infertility-Fertility Problem Stress Scale (COMPI-FPSS) and the SCREENIVF.

To examine the contribution of the items to the scale, six items with an insufficient contribution to the scale were removed from the scale as a result of the item-total score correlation values (Corrected item-total correlation <0.25). The item-total score correlation coefficients and subscale-total score correlation coefficients obtained for each subscale ranged from 0.31 to 0.98. According to the regression equation formed in line with the multivariate linear regression model that will model the linear relationship between COMPI-FPSS, which is a scale equivalent to the subscale of the SCREENIVF, the total scores of the subscale were statistically significant predictors of the scores obtained from COMPI-FPSS, and (F=161.281, p<0.001) multiple explanatory coefficients were 77.2%. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.77 and accepted to be reliable. 16% of the women participating in this study were above the cut-off scores concerning anxiety and depression, 13.9% acceptance, 8.2% hopelessness and 2% social support. The scale consisted of five subscales and 28 items.

The findings indicate that the Turkish version of SCREENIVF is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used in the routine assessment regarding psychosocial aspects in the infertility treatment process.