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The Psychometric Properties of the Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Screening Acceptability Assessment (DMSA) Scale among
Iman S Al-Gadi1,2, Amirah D Albalawi1,2, Reem A Al Khalifah1,2
1Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
A new scale assesses public acceptance of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) screening for children. The Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Screening Acceptability (DMSA) scale is reliable and valid for guiding T1DM screening programs.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Public Health
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Systematic Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) screening is crucial for early intervention and preventing severe complications like diabetic ketoacidosis.
- Despite its importance, many countries lack established T1DM screening programs.
- Limited research exists on public perceptions of T1DM screening for children, hindering program implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a standardized tool to measure the acceptability of T1DM screening programs for children.
- To assess caregiver perspectives within the general population regarding T1DM screening.
Main Methods:
- Developed the Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Screening Acceptability (DMSA) scale based on the theoretical framework of acceptability and the Pediatric Testing Attitudes Scale-Diabetes (P-TAS-D).
- Iteratively refined the DMSA scale for clarity and content validity through expert feedback.
- Tested the scale in English and Arabic with 599 adults in Saudi Arabia, evaluating psychometric properties via reliability and exploratory factor analysis.
Main Results:
- The final DMSA scale comprises 10 items across two factors: individual and psychosocial acceptability.
- The mean total score was 42.9 (±5.1) out of a possible 10-50 points.
- Both English and Arabic versions demonstrated strong reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.84 and 0.79, respectively).
Conclusions:
- The DMSA scale is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the general population's acceptance of T1DM screening in children.
- The scale integrates key acceptability constructs vital for implementing culturally sensitive T1DM screening initiatives.
- Future research should explore the scale's use in diverse cultural contexts and its correlation with actual screening behaviors.
Background:
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) screening facilitates access to early intervention and prevention of severe complications, such as diabetic ketoacidosis. Despite its significance, many countries lack a systematic T1DM screening program. Understanding how the public perceives T1DM screening for children is essential for successfully implementing such programs but is currently an area with limited research. Our study aims to fill this gap by developing a standardized tool designed to assess the acceptability of T1DM screening programs for children, focusing on caregiver perspectives within the general population.
Materials And Methods:
We developed the Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Screening Acceptability (DMSA) scale based on the theoretical framework of acceptability and integrated components from the Pediatric Testing Attitudes Scale-Diabetes (P-TAS-D). It covers a broad spectrum of acceptability constructs. The DMSA scale underwent iterative modifications following expert feedback to refine clarity and content validity. We tested the scale in both Arabic and English with adults living in Saudi Arabia, regardless of their parental status, focusing on the potential of screening their children. The psychometric strengths of the scale were evaluated through reliability analyses and exploratory factor analysis.
Results:
Of the 599 participants, the majority were female (89.2%), with a mean age of 35.9 ± 8.6 years. The final DMSA scale consists of 10 items, with two distinct factors: "individual acceptability" and "psychosocial acceptability." The mean total score was 42.9 ± 5.1 across a potential range of 10-50 points. The English and Arabic versions of the scale demonstrated strong reliability, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.84 and 0.79, respectively.
Conclusions:
The DMSA scale emerges as a valid and reliable tool for gauging the acceptability of the general population of screening children for T1DM. It integrates key elements of the acceptability construct, pivotal for guiding the implementation of culturally sensitive T1DM screening initiatives. Future research should expand its application across various cultural settings and examine the correlation between scale scores and actual screening behaviors.
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